Information about the Yala people of Cross River State, Nigeria.
Yala is now known as Yala Local Government in Cross River State, Nigeria. It was once part of the Ogoja division.
According to oral tradition, Yala is a branch of the Idoma people in Benue State. Both groups still speak the same dialect and frequently refer to themselves as “Onwahripu” (which means my–). Yala is a branch of the Idoma people. From the Benue River Basin, Yala’s ancestors arrived here and established a settlement. Additionally, there is a section of the Ikom local government known as Yala Inkum that speaks Yala’s dialect. Yala, as a whole, is a tight-knit community that once had the majority of its natives living within their various subcommunities without going much beyond those who spoke their dialect.
One of the communities in Yala, Okuku, is proud to have served as the center of business activity since the old Ogoja province.
As with every other community in the area, Yala was an agrarian society of subsistence farmers known for growing the best yams and other cash and food crops.
Until the advent of modern education, the yala community remained essentially homogeneous and close-knit due to the common dialect spoken in all localities and the difficulty of communicating with villages in the surrounding area that spoke different dialects.
It is now simple to navigate the dialectic and language barrier in the age of modern education, which teaches languages other than English as the official language of communication and the language of success.
As a result, the majority of educated members of the community no longer face dialectic inhibition and are able to travel far to Nigeria’s major cities, other African nations, and countries beyond the continent’s borders in search of better opportunities.
In Cross-River state, Yala is the second most populous local government.
Her kin are spread across 31 networks covering an expanse of land of 4,630,702 sq. kilometers with more than 500,000 people living there.
Yala is a Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Okpoma in the east of the area at 6°35′35″N 8°38′01″E.
It has an area of 1,739 km2 and a population of 210,843 at the 2006 census.[1] This makes Yala the second most populated LGA in Cross River State, coming after Akpabuyo.
The postal code of the area is 550.[2]
The dominant tribe in the Area are the Yala. Major settlements in Yala LGA include Okpoma, Okuku, Yahe, Ugaga, Ijegu, Oloko, Imaje, Oke, Echumoga, Woda, Ebo, Igede Edii Nation, Itekpa, Maa, Wonye, Uchu, Osina, Mbuor, Aliforkpa, Echumofana, Wanihem, Wanikade, Wanokom, Ijiraga, Ntrigom etc. Yala is also a language spoken by some inhabitants of Yalaland.
Other major tribes in Yala Local Government Area are, Igede-Edii (Anyadaha, Anyugbe, Eminyi, Ibilla, Igbakobor and Opiriku), Itekpa, Gabu, Ukele and Yache. They speak Igede, Kukelle and Yache language respectively.
The LGA has abundant salt deposit which can sustain any small to medium scale salt industry. There are many salt ponds in Okpoma which are of great history to the people and are mined locally. The LGA also offers a wide range of investment opportunities in agro-based industries as well as solid mineral industries.
History
The Yala people are closely related to the Idoma people of Benue state, Nigeria and can understand their language. It is said that the Yala people left Benue state in search of salt, having found it in abundance in present day Yala, decided to stay.
Cross River State In Yala local government area, there is an ongoing construction of a rice industry, located on a land mass from between Okuku heading towards Igoli road through the Army Barracks. There is a roofing tiles factory in Yala.[3] The Yala people are predominantly farmers, civil servants, and law enforcement officers. A significant number of the youths work as traders, craftsmen and commercial motorcyclists.
In Yala, the most celebrated agricultural produce is the yam. An entire day is declared as a holiday to celebrate the yam every new harvest time which is usually on the 30th of August annually. This sees Yala people from all around the world return home to enjoy a cultural heritage festival and Holiday.
Yala is a Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria
Little About Yahe-Yala People In Yala Local Government Area
Yala is a Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Okpoma in the east of the area at6°35′35″N 8°38′01″E.
It has an area of 1,739 km² and a population of 210,843 at the 2006 census. This makes Yala the second most populated LGA in Cross River State, coming after Akpabuyo.
The postal code of the area is 550.
The dominant tribe in the Area are the Yala. Some Yala towns and villages are Okuku, Yahe, Ugaga, Ijegu, Oloko, Imaje, Oke, Echumoga, Woda, Ebo, Igede Edii Nation, Itekpa, Maa, Wonye, Uchu, Osina, Mbuor, Aliforkpa,Echumofana,Wanihem,Wanikade,Wanikom, e.t.c. Yala is also a language spoken by some inhabitants of Yalaland.
Other major tribes in Yala Local Government Area are Gabu, Ukele and Yache. They speak Igede, Ukele and Yache language respectively.
The LGA is blessed with abundant salt deposit which can sustain any small to medium scale salt industry. There are many salt ponds in Okpoma which are of great history to the people and are mined locally. The LGA also offers a wide range of investment opportunities in agro-based industries as well as solid mineral industries.
Source1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yala,_Nigeria
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