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  Introduction / History The Kafin Gurmana or the Basa-Gurmana people who also refer to themselves as the Koromba are originally of the Burkina Faso (the country of honorable people) stock. They are basically located in Burkina Faso in the provinces of Yatenga, Zondona, Lorum and Sowum, which are all located in the northern area of Burkina Faso.
Read more about Ethnic Groups In Nigeria
In Nigeria, they are found in Niger state, precisely at Rafi border and Chanchaga LGAs. Niger or Niger State is a state in Central Nigeria and has the largest landmass in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State. It is home to Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, two of Nigeria’s former military rulers. The Nupe, Gbagyi, Kamuku, Kambari, Dukawa, Hausa and Koro form the majority of numerous indigenous ethnic groups of Niger State.

Socio-economic Characteristics of the Koromba People

The Koromfe area, home of the Koromba people, is predominately Muslim with the small Christian population present also. Because of the huge religious divide, there have been economic consequences to the areas they inhabit; a situation that is a function of the activities of militant groups like Boko Haram, which has made the economy there to be crippled. In other words, the area is poverty stricken and basic healthcare in the outlying areas is almost non-existent. The economy is largely based on traditional farming. The illiteracy rate is over 90 percent, and it has the unfortunate distinction of being the second most illiterate place on the planet. Young people are pulled away from their ancestral villages and into populous centers of the State and country, by poverty. Because of the quality of healthcare and the ongoing HIV epidemic, almost 50% of the country is under the age of 14. A high population density and few natural resources make the journey out of poverty very difficult.
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The Mythological Ancestry and Religious Beliefs of the Koromba People

According to their tradition, the Koromba descended to earth in a metal box. In another version, by a thread. Their traditional religion is animalism but over half their population have converted to Islam. The Koromba have also intermarried extensively with the Mossi people of Burkina Faso and are adopting more and more of their language and traditions.

Other Interesting Facts about Niger State

The state is named after the River Niger. Two of Nigeria’s major hydroelectric power stations, the Kainji Dam and Shiroro Dam are located in Niger State; and the newly Zungeru Dam is also located there; the Jebba Dam is half Niger state and Kwara Sharing boundaries. The famous Gurara Falls is in Niger State, and Gurara Local Government Area is named after the Gurara River, on whose course the fall is situated. Also situated there is Kainji National Park, the largest National Park of Nigeria, which contains Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve and the Zugurma Game Reserve. Sources: Wikipedia Mission Grid Featured Image Source: Mission Grid
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This article was first published on 14th July 2020

jeremiah

Jeremiah is a scholar and a poet. He has a keen eye for studying the world and is passionate about people. He tweets at @jeremiahaluwong.

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