Ninzo people
{{Short description|An ethnic group in central Nigeria}}
{{infobox ethnic group
|group= Ninzo
|image=Ninzo women dance troupe at Chong Dovetail 2024 07.jpg
|caption = Ninzo troupe at Chong Dovetail in December 2024
| population = 131,000{{cn|date=December 2024}}
|popplace= Nigeria
|languages= Ninzo
| religions = Christianity, Islam, Traditional Religion
|related = Nikyob-Nindem, Mada, Ham, Koro, Atyap, Berom, Jukun}}
Ninzo people (also Gbhu and Ninzam), are an ethnic group in the Middle Belt who speak the Ninzo language, a western Plateau language of Nigeria.[https://www.ethnologue.com/language/NIN Ethnologue entry on Ninzo] The speakers of the Sambe language, a now presumed extinct language spoken in a village with same name have now incorporated with the Ninzo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ogmios.org/ogmios_files/206.htm|title=Foundation for Endangered Languages|date=2001|author=Blench, Roger|publisher=ogmios|access-date=December 26, 2021}}
Demographics
There are approximately 131,000 Ninzo people.{{cn|date=December 2024}}
The Ninzo people are found in Sanga LGA of southern Kaduna State{{Cite web|url=https://www.mindat.org/feature-7910314.html|title=Sanga, Kaduna State, Nigeria|publisher=Mindat.com|access-date=December 26, 2021}} and Akwanga LGA of Nasarawa State, Nigeria.{{cn|date=December 2024}}
About 64% of the Ninzo are Christian, 31% Muslim and 5% adherents of Traditional religion.{{cn|date=December 2024}}
Politics
The Ninzo people are traditionally governed by rulers called the Uchu Ninzo. The Uchu Ninzo, a Second Class Chief, as of 2018 is Uchu (Alh.) Umar Musa.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pressreader.com/nigeria/daily-trust-sunday/20180909/281560881683049|title=Thrills as Ninzo monarch mounts saddle|author=Ali, Ahmed|date=September 9, 2018|location=Kafanchan|website=PressReader|publisher=Daily Trust|access-date=December 26, 2021}} The Ninzo Chiefdom headquarters is at Hate (H. Fadan Wate or Fadan Ninzo).{{Cite web|url=https://localgov.kdsg.gov.ng/?page_id=31|title=Composition of the State’s Council of Chiefs|publisher=Ministry of Local Government Affairs {{!}} Kaduna State Government|access-date=December 26, 2021}}
Language
{{Main article|Ninzo language}}
The Ninzo people speak a Ninzic language, belonging to the western Plateau group of languages.
References
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