Mande · Nigeria’s peoples

Bokobaru

The Bokobaru live around Kaiama in Kwara State, in about 30 villages between Kaozi in the north, Mose in the south, Gbete in the west and Woro in the east.

See the Bokobaru on the map

At a glance

Where do the Bokobaru people live?: Their homeland is in Kaiama in Kwara State, across 1 local government area.
What language do the Bokobaru speak?: Bokobaru (Zogben yan), a language of the Mande family (Mande › Eastern Mande).

Overview

The Bokobaru live around Kaiama in Kwara State, in about 30 villages between Kaozi in the north, Mose in the south, Gbete in the west and Woro in the east. They speak Bokobaru, one of the Boko-Busa languages of the Eastern Mande family; the Hausa group them all as Busa (Bussawa). Kaiama was founded in the late 18th century as a royal capital by Boko nobles from Nikki, among Bokobaru people already living there. About 30,000 in 1997.^[2],[1]High confidence

Where the Bokobaru live

Local government areas by state. Homeland: the group is the majority. Shared area: a large share of a mixed area. Smaller presence: present, but a small share.

Kwara
- Kaiama(Homeland)
- Baruten(Smaller presence)

Areas are approximate and show where people live. They are not claims of land ownership.

Communities beyond the homeland

Kaiama

Kaiama, Kwara State: Kaozi, Mose, Gbete, Woro.^[2]High confidence

Founded in the late 18th century as a royal capital by Boko nobles from Nikki among Bokobaru already living there; about 30 Bokobaru villages lie around it, between Kaozi, Mose, Gbete and Woro. Kaiama's leader died with Borgu's army at Ilorin in the 1830s.^[2],[3]

Language

Bokobaru (Zogben yan), a language of the Mande family (Mande › Eastern Mande).^[1]High confidence

Sources

Every claim carries a confidence level: high (well attested), medium (one source or approximate) or disputed (sources disagree).