During my primary school days,we were taught that the rivers Niger and Benue split Nigeria into three unequal parts forming an imperfect Y on the Nigerian map.We were further taught that the area around the upper V line of the Y comprising of various ethnic groups is called "middle belt" taking its name from that V which seem to cut the country at the center.The area is often referred to as the zone of Northern minorities.This is a fallacy because further North still exists a handful of minorities.For example Bauchi State often referred to as core Hausa/Fulani State is not up to 40% Hausa/Fulani.I therefore wish to be clarified on the new definition of "Middle Belt" and know if IBB,Abdulsalami Abubakar,Yakubu Gowon,David Mark,Theophilus Danjuma and Atiku are from the "Middle Belt".

Good question. I'm not in a position to answer that. Maybe someone like amingafar or danmasani (don't think I spelled that right, he used to post here) could clear this up.

Kaduna itself, isn't the entire south of it Christian? So do we consider it core north or also middle belt?

Also, is Southern Kaduna demographically Hausa, or mostly Gwari, ? I know the area surrounding Abuja is supposed to be mostly Gwari in origin (correct me if I am wrong). I don't think they view themselves as core North (again, correct me if I'm wrong.)

DapoBear:

Kaduna itself, isn't the entire south of it Christian? So do we consider it core north or also middle belt?

Also, is Southern Kaduna demographically Hausa, or mostly Gwari, ? I know the area surrounding Abuja is supposed to be mostly Gwari in origin (correct me if I am wrong). I don't think they view themselves as core North (again, correct me if I'm wrong.)

This is exactly why the definition has to be made.I foresee a future where the "Middle belt" might look South for alliance but we need to define the exact area.

http://www.dawodu.com/nnamani21.htm
. . . . By  the way, if we talk of a Middle Belt,  we must take into account such definitional preferences of the  promoters as well as the historical data made  available by researchers.  Historically, it is not so easy to fit the  entire  Middle Belt into any zone of  original antecedent. According to  legends of legend  and legends of  origin, what we have on the ground  cannot present a definitive  single  antecedent or even a composite  background. Yet, even against that background, the Langtang, Birom, Tiv,  Chawai, Jaba, Jukun, among the other  tens  of such ethnic groups, have one  thing in common. They have lived in  the  Niger-Benue Confluence over some millennia. And they have, together,  claimed the  Nok culture, reportedly  originating from Nok Village in Jaba  Local Government  Area, Kaduna State. Besides the varied origins as claimed in the cases of peoples of the Nok Culture, the Middle Belt areas or the  Niger-Benue Confluence region, were to gravitate to such western economic  endeavours, of which the Tin Mining enterprises in Jos, our present host city, drew into it many of the people who were to realize their common heritage  and political destiny. Such virtually natural concentric development,  expanding in the sucking of peoples  from deep  Southern areas as well as  far-flung North actually presented the  zone as the  glue that draws. Further to this were the clear marshal  qualities of the peoples, as recognized by the colonial masters, who erected  military institutions, which on their own opened more waves of migrations. In  fact, it was in the discharge of the duty conferred by those marshal qualities  that the Middle Belt excelled as the bastion of national unity and cohesion.  One of such, most often repeated, was the price of human resources  reportedly expended in the various  wars from 1914. . . . .

It's clear.the middle belt serves as a link between the forest region dominated by the yoruba and ibo and the north.the hausa have their states which they dominate since early period.

Perhaps we should instead define the core North, instead. That might be easier to define. Then by subtraction, we can define the middle belt.

Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano. Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Gombe. Bauchi, Taraba and Adamawa, as candidates for the core North?

What states (or parts of states) should be added  to the above list, and which ones removed?

DapoBear:

Perhaps we should instead define the core North, instead. That might be easier to define. Then by subtraction, we can define the middle belt.

Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano. Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Gombe. Bauchi, Taraba and Adamawa, as candidates for the core North?

What states (or parts of states) should be added  to the above list, and which ones removed?

the states occupied by hausa include:Gobir,Kano,Zaria,Katsina,Daura,Biram and Rano.they constitute the core hausa states in Nigeria.

http://www.nasarawastate.org/newsday/news/culture/11129114540.html

The Middle Belt: History and politics
By Haruna Izah

Where is the middle Belt?
Those who support this idea or concept define it to include eight states of the federation, namely Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory. Southern Kaduna, Borno and Gombe are also regarded as part of it. In trying to re-assert itself as an independent entity, the place has for long become an alluring bride for many suitors, conscious of the strategic part it plays in deciding the outcome of an election.

I like this definition.

So Atiku is not from the North, but the Middle Belt. Yippee!
The North gets the 2015 ticket.

No wonder. Those Adamawa peeps act somewhat more exposed than the typical Northerners.

I agree. Zamfara is real North.

I like this definition. So Atiku is not from the North, but the Middle Belt. Yippee! The North gets the 2015 ticket. No wonder. Those Adamawa peeps act somewhat more exposed than the typical Northerners. I agree. Zamfara is real North.

If you say Atiku is a Middlebeltan, what tribe is he then ?

I thought Adamawa was mostly Fulani Muslim? A bit surprised it is considered middle belt.

edoyad:



If you say Atiku is a Middlebeltan, what tribe is he then ?

There are many tribes in Adamawa(part of the middle belt). Here goes:

http://www.onlinenigeria.com/tribes/default2.asp

Teme   Adamawa   
162   Ichen   Adamawa   
122   Ga'anda   Adamawa   
219   Kurdul   Adamawa   
42   Batta   Adamawa   
293   Pire   Adamawa   
50   Bille   Adamawa   
208   Kilba   Adamawa   
335   Tur   Adamawa   
135   Gira   Adamawa   
136   Gizigz   Adamawa   
331   Tigon   Adamawa   
25   Bachama   Adamawa   
194   Kambu   Adamawa   
231   Lakka   Adamawa   
143   Gude   Adamawa   
144   Gudu   Adamawa   
191   Kaka   Adamawa   
324   Sukur   Adamawa   
149   Gwa (Gurawa)   Adamawa   
150   Gwamba   Adamawa   
36   Banso (Panso)   Adamawa   
182   Jirai   Adamawa   
179   Jibu   Adamawa   
159   Hona   Adamawa   
139   Gombi   Adamawa   
83   Daba   Adamawa   
49   Bilei   Adamawa   
59   Botlere   Adamawa   
263   Mundang   Adamawa   
261   Muchaila   Adamawa   
273   Njayi   Adamawa   
365   Yungur   Adamawa   
66   Bura   Adamawa   
252   Mbula   Adamawa   
250   Mbol   Adamawa   
72   Bwatiye   Adamawa   
73   Bwazza   Adamawa   
248   Matakarn   Adamawa   
118   Palli   Adamawa   
243   Mambilla   Adamawa   
158   Holma   Adamawa   
354   Wurbo   Adamawa   
353   Wula   Adamawa   
85   Daka   Adamawa   
44   Baya   Adamawa   
236   Ubbo   Adamawa   
348   Wagga   Adamawa   
232   Lala   Adamawa   
346   Verre   Adamawa   
345   Vemgo   Adamawa   
239   Longuda (Lunguda)   Adamawa, Bauchi   
247   Margi (Marghi)   Adamawa, Bomo   
24   Babur   Adamawa, Bomo, Taraba, Yobe   
196   Kanakuru (Dera)   Adamawa, Borno   
270   Ngweshe (Ndhang.Ngoshe-Ndhang)   Adamawa, Borno   
320   Shuwa 

One of these.
Nigeria na wah.

Atiku is Fulani.

Atiku is Fulani.

Period !

These Fulani are quite impressive, I must say. Imagine, bending an entire other ethnic group (the Hausa), and a region of the country (the North) to your will.

Almost every time a "Northern" candidate is selected, it is a Fulani man. Yet the Northerners never complain that for some reason, only Fulani are fit to lead them. Quite amazing.

Well there's a reason it's called "ethno/religious" conflict and not just ethnic conflict.

Affiliations around these parts are ethno/religous and not just based on ethnicity.

DapoBear:

I thought Adamawa was mostly Fulani Muslim? A bit surprised it is considered middle belt.

Hausa/Fulani is not up to 5% of Adamawa.Many Nigerians are not aware that Adamawa,Taraba and Crossriver States hold 50% of ethnic groups in Nigeria.

DapoBear:

These Fulani are quite impressive, I must say. Imagine, bending an entire other ethnic group (the Hausa), and a region of the country (the North) to your will.

Almost every time a "Northern" candidate is selected, it is a Fulani man. Yet the Northerners never complain that for some reason, only Fulani are fit to lead them. Quite amazing.

that is the reason we call ourselves one north, not am i kanuri, i am hausa, i am fulani no

that way there will be less conflict unlike southerners that ikwerri, ogoni, wtc this small group are just jokers

Abagworo:

Hausa/Fulani is not up to 5% of Adamawa.Many Nigerians are not aware that Adamawa,Taraba and Crossriver States hold 50% of ethnic groups in Nigeria.

What then is the demographics of Adamawa? I wasn't able to find any information online about it. They have a Fulani Emir though, do they not?

i have been following your insight in diferent threads and u never proved my thoughts wrong,u are too tribalistic.
alj hareen

DapoBear:

What then is the demographics of Adamawa? I wasn't able to find any information online about it. They have a Fulani Emir though, do they not?

Got this from a post on this page.It gives the list of ethnic groups in Adamawa.

Teme   Adamawa 
  162Ichen   Adamawa 
  122    Ga'anda   Adamawa
    219    Kurdul   Adamawa 
  42    Batta   Adamawa 
  293    Pire   Adamawa 
  50    Bille   Adamawa 
  208    Kilba   Adamawa
    335    Tur   Adamawa
    135    Gira   Adamawa
    136    Gizigz   Adamawa
    331    Tigon   Adamawa
    25    Bachama   Adamawa
    194    Kambu   Adamawa
    231    Lakka   Adamawa
    143    Gude   Adamawa
    144    Gudu   Adamawa
    191    Kaka   Adamawa
    324    Sukur   Adamawa
    149    Gwa (Gurawa)   Adamawa
    150    Gwamba   Adamawa
    36    Banso (Panso)   Adamawa
    182    Jirai   Adamawa
    179    Jibu   Adamawa
    159    Hona   Adamawa
    139    Gombi   Adamawa
    83    Daba   Adamawa
    49    Bilei   Adamawa
    59    Botlere   Adamawa
    263    Mundang   Adamawa
    261    Muchaila   Adamawa
    273    Njayi   Adamawa
    365    Yungur   Adamawa
    66    Bura   Adamawa
    252    Mbula   Adamawa
    250    Mbol   Adamawa
    72    Bwatiye   Adamawa
    73    Bwazza   Adamawa
    248    Matakarn   Adamawa
    118    Palli   Adamawa
    243    Mambilla   Adamawa
    158    Holma   Adamawa
    354    Wurbo   Adamawa
    353    Wula   Adamawa
    85    Daka   Adamawa
    44    Baya   Adamawa
    236    Ubbo   Adamawa
    348    Wagga   Adamawa
    232    Lala   Adamawa
    346    Verre   Adamawa
    345    Vemgo   Adamawa
239    Longuda (Lunguda)   Adamawa, Bauchi
    247    Margi (Marghi)   Adamawa, Bomo    24    Babur   Adamawa, Bomo, Taraba,Yobe 
  196    Kanakuru (Dera)   Adamawa, Borno   

270    Ngweshe (Ndhang.Ngoshe-Ndhang)   Adamawa, Borno 

  320    Shuwa

that is the reason we call ourselves one north, not am i kanuri, i am hausa, i am fulani        no that way there will be less conflict unlike southerners that ikwerri, ogoni, wtc this small group are just jokers

Who is the joker? You producing all the polio, cholera, vvf and illiteracy cases or the other person trying to advance ?

Extract from Wiki which I can largely agree with:

"Areas of Nigeria which are generally referred to as belonging to the Middle Belt are: Kwara State, Kogi State, Benue State,Plateau State, Nasarawa State, Niger State, Adamawa State and Taraba State. Also included are the southern parts of Kaduna State, Zuru area of Kebbi State, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro areas of Bauchi State, Tangale and Waja areas of Gombe State and the southern parts of Borno State (Biu area).

However, the definition of the Middle Belt areas are subject to great debate due to the presence of significant number of ethnic Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri groups. In addition, the Yoruba of Kwara and Kogi have a strong affinity with the larger Yoruba body and frequently prefer not to be associated with the Middle Belt identity."

During my primary school days,we were taught that the rivers Niger and Benue split Nigeria into three unequal parts forming an imperfect Y on the Nigerian map

has any map proved otherwise?

@topic

middle belt is just that: middle.

meaning geographical location which also corresponds with ethnicity.

A book I purchased and have been reading (The Nigerian Civil War) has a demographic map on it. The middle belt is quite huge. The core north is pretty small. I would say at this point that the core North is only Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Northern Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno.

Everything else is middle belt. Even Adamawa that I thought was Fulani is actually Bachama instead.

EDIT: So I guess if you take the demographic figures listed publicly at face value and say give half of the population of the Kaduna to the core North, you get the following population estimate for the core North:


octave:2> 3.2+3.7+3.2+5.7+1/2*6+9.4+4.4+2.3+4.1
ans =  39

So roughly 39 million.

Of course, it is very likely that the number for some of these states are massively inflated. It seems implausible that Kano is 3 times more densely populated than Ondo state, for example. So to be quite honest, the population of the core North might be as little as 20 million.

DapoBear:

A book I purchased and have been reading (The Nigerian Civil War) has a demographic map on it. The middle belt is quite huge. The core north is pretty small. I would say at this point that the core North is only Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Northern Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno.

Everything else is middle belt. Even Adamawa that I thought was Fulani is actually Bachama instead.

EDIT: So I guess if you take the demographic figures listed publicly at face value and say give half of the population of the Kaduna to the core North, you get the following population estimate for the core North:


octave:2> 3.2+3.7+3.2+5.7+1/2*6+9.4+4.4+2.3+4.1
ans = 39

So roughly 39 million.

Of course, it is very likely that the number for some of these states are massively inflated. It seems implausible that Kano is 3 times more densely populated than Ondo state, more densely populated than say Ondo state. So to be quite honest, the population of the core North might be as little as 20 million.

I have always maintained that the core Northern population is less than 20 million. I disagree with you that Bornu is a core Northern state, they are used by the core North just like the Middle Belt is. You would be hard pressed to find a Bornu man rubbing shoulders with the Hausa or Fulani elite.
My list of core Northern states is; Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa and Yobe.

You are probably right, the Kanuri man isn't really that close to the Hausa-Fulani oligarchs. But they are probably closer interest-wise than any of the other groups, I suspect.

My guess also is that the population of the Igbo states is massively under-counted. It would explain a lot about Nigeria if this were true.

So I wonder, is the 150 million figure they bandy about as the total population of Nigeria accurate, but they are just shifting around population #s? Or is Nigeria much less populated than commonly believed?

Really hard to know the truth without accurate figures, unfortunately.

Middle belt means different things to different people. However, it is good to say that generally it refers to political aspiration of people who fairly identifiy themselves differently from the general Hausa people and have different culture and history. However, over the years it has metamophose to means Christain dominated areas. It is not about ethnic minorities or hausa or fulbe(fulani). In reality, other than Kano, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto, almost all northern states have ethnic minoraties. Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Nassarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Niger, Kebbi, Borno, all have large chunk of small small ethnic group, either bonded by Islam, or Hausa as a common language of communication.

Recently, I read somewhere where some people are trying to claim that some part of Borno should be Middle Belt. I mean how far North can the middle belt reach, untill it reach Niger.

Middle Belt ideology will remain an illusion in the mind of academics, politicians and few elites, but to the larger population, political boundaries within Nigeria will mean little to them, Middlebelt or no middle belt, the people will do business together, inter marry and most importantly, will all speak HAUSA

Tsiya:

Middle belt means different things to different people. However, it is good to say that generally it refers to political aspiration of people who fairly identifiy themselves differently from the general Hausa people and have different culture and history. However, over the years it has metamophose to means Christain dominated areas. It is not about ethnic minorities or hausa or fulbe(fulani). In reality, other than Kano, Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto, almost all northern states have ethnic minoraties. Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Nassarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Niger, Kebbi, Borno, all have large chunk of small small ethnic group, either bonded by Islam, or Hausa as a common language of communication.

Recently, I read somewhere where some people are trying to claim that some part of Borno should be Middle Belt. I mean how far North can the middle belt reach, untill it reach Niger.

Middle Belt ideology will remain an illusion in the mind of academics, politicians and few elites, but to the larger population, political boundaries within Nigeria will mean little to them, Middlebelt or no middle belt, the people will do business together, inter marry and most importantly, will all speak HAUSA

I have always maintained that there is nothing like "Middlebelt" in terms of real Nigerian politics. There is a christian north though, and they are concentrated more to these "middlebelt" areas. However, they share a bond with other Northerners through HAUSA language. You cannot find anything like that in southern Nigeria.

To me, the most convenient lie has been to blame a so called "core north" for all the crimes Northern Nigeria has committed against the rest of Nigeria. Having jointly enjoyed the political power over the years (in fact these middlebelters have ruled Nigeria more than the Hausa sef! ), they must therefore take a proportional blame for Nigeria's failures through the years.

Middlebelt is a convenient lie to escape blame and mask history.

Onlytruth:

I have always maintained that there is nothing like "Middlebelt" in terms of real Nigerian politics. There is a christian north though, and they are concentrated more to these "middlebelt" areas. However, they share a bond with other Northerners through HAUSA language. You cannot find anything like that in southern Nigeria.

To me, the most convenient lie has been to blame a so called "core north" for all the crimes Northern Nigeria has committed against the rest of Nigeria. Having jointly enjoyed the political power over the years (in fact these middlebelters have ruled Nigeria more than the Hausa sef! ), they must therefore take a proportional blame for Nigeria's failures through the years.

Middlebelt is a convenient lie to escape blame and mask history.

I don't think that there's ever been a 'hausa' president of Nigeria as such. I mean all of those Northern presidents were either Fulani, Gowon was a middle-belter and Babangida was Gwari!

DapoBear:

You are probably right, the Kanuri man isn't really that close to the Hausa-Fulani oligarchs. But they are probably closer interest-wise than any of the other groups, I suspect.

My guess also is that the population of the Igbo states is massively under-counted. It would explain a lot about Nigeria if this were true.

So I wonder, is the 150 million figure they bandy about as the total population of Nigeria accurate, but they are just shifting around population #s? Or is Nigeria much less populated than commonly believed?

Really hard to know the truth without accurate figures, unfortunately.

I came to the conclusion that Igbo population is uncounted in Nigeria during the last census under Obasanjo. I remember vividly that Ohanaeze Ndigbo tried its best to have ethnic information included in the census forms, Obasanjo stood his ground and rejected it! That was when I knew that Nigeria has something to hide about population distribution.

Personally, I don't believe Nigeria's population is up to 150 million. I think it would be around 100 million, and they are concentrated in major cities of southern Nigeria, and a few like Kano and Kaduna in the north. Abuja is populated by ALL Nigerians.

I also suspect that Jonathan must know something about Nigeria's real population, and that is why he is going forward with his plans to contest for presidency. If he thinks that northern Nigeria is as populated as we've been told, he would not have declared interest.

One of these days, the truth will come out.