The Dadiya people are an ethnic group primarily found in North-East Nigeria. Here is an overview of key facts about the Dadiya tribe:

Location and Demographics

• Location: The Dadiya are mainly found in the border regions where Gombe, Adamawa, and Taraba States meet in North-East Nigeria.
  • In Gombe State, they are predominantly in Balanga Local Government Area (LGA).
  • In Taraba State, they are found in Karim Lamido LGA.
  • In Adamawa State, they are in Lamurde LGA.
• Traditional Home: Dadiya settlements were originally located in and around the Muri Mountains.
• Headquarters: The traditional headquarters of Dadiya land is Bambam, where their traditional ruler, the ‘Folo Dadiya’, resides.
• Settlement Names: Many Dadiya settlements have the prefix “Loo”, which loosely means “settlements” or “houses” (e.g., Lookwila, Lofiyo, Loofa).

Language

• Language: Their native language is Dadiya (also called Loodiya or Nyiyo).
• Classification: Dadiya is an Adamawa language belonging to the Niger-Congo language family.

Economy and Occupation

• Major Occupation: The Dadiya are predominantly farmers, utilizing the mass and fertile land in their region, which is surrounded by rocks and mountains.
• Crops: Their main crops include maize, groundnuts, beans, and rice.

Culture and Religion

• Festivals: The Dadiya people celebrate traditional festivals to showcase their culture, such as Yeelin and “KAL,” which is reported to occur once every five years.
• Traditional Governance: Traditional Dadiya society was historically organized into functional groups such as:
  • Niplom (for agriculture and rain)
  • Fakulum (for defense)
  • Niptiyam/Niptitimtiya (for judiciary/ruling, where folo tiya is the chief judge)
  • Fatilim and Nipmam (for health and medicine)
• Religion: The primary religions practiced today are Christianity (about 40% of the population) and the traditional religion, Animism. Historically, animism—a worldview where natural entities possess a spiritual essence—was the primary religion.

In essence, the Dadiya are a mountain-dwelling farming community known for their distinct language, traditional festivals, and location across the border areas of Gombe, Adamawa, and Taraba states. Sources