The people in Zuba village called themselves and their language Koro Zuba. They are also referred to as Zuba Koro. Some neighbouring groups refer to them as Ganagana, but they do not like that name.
The speakers of Koro Zuba are found in eighteen communities in Nigeria’s Niger State and the FCT Abuja. Zuba is the cultural, administrative, and economic center for the Koro Zuba.
Zuba town is the administrative, economic and cultural center for the Koro Zuba. It is also multilingual and multicultural. As a result of this urbanization and the access to modern conveniences and services such as larger markets and more health clinics, few Koro Zuba travel far from home. Farming is still the most common occupation.
With primary and secondary schools in virtually every community, Koro Zuba are educated at least through secondary levels. English and Hausa literacy materials that are available in the speech communities include the Bible, a book in their language, textbooks and dictionaries. Muslims have copies of the Koran in Arabic. Those who have mobile phones use Koro Zuba for texting.
The Koro Zuba intermarry with Koro Nulu, Gbagyi, Gbari, Gade, Gwandara and Nupawa. When a woman marries into the Koro Zuba tribe, she will eventually learn to speak Koro Zuba. Temporarily she speaks mostly Hausa and may speak in her own language with her children.
Most of the Koro Zuba are Muslim. A few are Christians, and some percent adhere to traditional African religious practices.
The Koro Zuba reported positive attitudes towards their language and expressed a desire for language development. Their primary interest in language development seems to be for the preservation of the language, to help the youth remember their language, and to be able to teach it to their children. While there is currently a level of sustainable language vitality, there could easily be a shift towards a preference for greater use of Hausa or English among the youth as they mature.
Pray for them to have a hunger to know Jesus.
Praise God for their desire for language development.
Pray for protection over their language.
Scripture Prayers for the Koro Zuba in Nigeria.
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
