Languages and Dialects in Kogi State

Kogi State has a variety of Languages/Dialects cutting across its 21 Local Government Areas. The striking thing about the state is that majority of its languages fall under the Volta-Niger sub classification of the Niger-Congo group of languages.

Below is a list of its Languages/Dialects and the locations where they are spoken as indigenous languages with Kogi.

1) Igala Language;

The Igala Language in Kogi State comprise of six distinct dialects including;
Idah
Imane
Ogugu
Ankpa
Ibaji
Dekina
Ife Dialects.

It is spoken in Olamaboro, Ankpa, Idah, Omala, Igalamela/Odolu, Ofu, Dekina, Ajaokuta, Bassa and Ibaji LGAs.

2) Ebira Language;

The language as found in Kogi comprise four dialects, namely;
Ebira-Ta’o, 
Ebira-Koto/Mozum
Ebira Panda and
Eganyi Ebira

They are all spoken in Ajaokuta, Adavi, Okene, Okehi, Kotonkarfi, Lokoja and Bassa LGAs.

3) Yoruba Language

The yoruba People found in Kogi State are collectively called “Okun”. Apart from the major Yoruba Language which they all speak, they also speak varied Yoruba Dialects.

The major Okun-Yoruba dialects spoken in Kogi are
Owe
Yagba
Ijumu
Gbede
Bunu
Ikiri and 
Oworo.

In Kogi, Okun-Yoruba dialects are spoken in 6 Local Government Areas namely, Ijumu, Kabba/Bunu, Yagba East, Yagba West, MopaMuro and Lokoja LGAs

4) Oko Language;

Oko is spoken among the Ogori people of Ogori/Magongo LGA.

5) Osayen Language;

Osayen is a language of the people of Magongo in Ogori/Magongo LGA.

6) Eni Language;

Eni is spoken in various localities across Ogori/Magongo LGA.

7)  Ukaan Language

8.)  Akpes Language

9)  Ahan Language

10) Ayere Language

11) Akoko Language
Ukaan, Akpes, Ahan, Ayere and Akoko are all language spoken in the boarder communities between Kogi and Ondo State in Ijumu LGA of Kogi State.

12) Bassa-Komu Language;

The Bassa-Komu Language speaking people of Kogi are found in Bassa, Lokoja and Kotonkarfi LGAs.

13) Bassa-Nge Language;

The Bassa-Nge speaking people of Kogi speak a language highly similar to Nupe Language, they are found in Bassa, Kotonkarfi and Lokoja LGAs.

14) Kupa Language;

The Kupa people are found in Lokoja KGA, they speak a language similar to Nupe.

15) Kakanda Language;

Mostly regarded as a Nupe Dialect, the Kakanda people are found in Lokoja and Kotonkarfi LGA.

16) Nupe Language;

Nupe is spoken both as an independent language and as a second language by the Kakanda, Bassa-Nge and Kupa people in and around Lokoja, Kotonkarfi and Bassa LGAs.

In summary, there are about 16 distinct languages and multiple dialects indigenous to the people of Kogi State in Nigeria.

– Enefola Victor Levi
enefolalevi@gmail.com