List of Nigerian traditional states

There are many traditional states in Nigeria. A partial list follows. Although the traditional rulers no longer officially have political power, they still have considerable status in Nigeria and the power of patronage.[1] Except where otherwise noted, names of traditional rulers are based on the World Statesmen.org list.[2]

State Region Ethnic
Group		 Capital Present ruler Ruler
from		 Title Notes
Abeokuta Southwest Yoruba Abeokuta Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III 2005 Alake
Abuja Now the Suleja Emirate
Adamawa Middle belt Yola Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa 2010 Lamido
Agaie Middle belt Nupe Agaie Muhammadu Kudu Abubakar 2004 Etsu
Akure Southwest Yoruba Akure Adebiyi Adegboye Adesida Afunbiowo II 2010 Deji
Akwa Akpa Southeast Ibibio Calabar Bassey Ekpo Bassey II 2008 Edidem
Bade Northeast Kanuri Gashua Abubakar Umar Suleiman 2005 Mai-Bedde
Bauchi Northeast Hausa/Fulani Bauchi Rilwanu Adamu Jumba 2010 sarki
Benin Southwest Edo Benin City Erediauwa 1979 Oba
Bida Middle belt Nupe Bida Yahaya Abubakar 2003 Etsu
Biu Northeast Biu Maidalla Mustafa dan Muhammad `Aliyu 1959 Emir
Bonny Southeast Ijaw Bonny Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III 1996 Amanyanabo Also called Okolo-Ama
Borgu Middle belt Bariba New Bussa Haliru Dantoro Kitoro III dan Muhammadu Sani 2002 Emir Formed by merging Bussa and Kaiama
Borno Northeast Kanuri Maiduguri Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi 2009 Shehu
Brass Southeast Ijaw Brass, Nigeria Alfred Diete-Spiff Amayanabo Once part of Nembe
Bussa See Borgu
Calabar (Old) see Akwa Akpa
Calabar (New) see Kalabari Kingdom
Damaturu Northeast Kanuri Damaturu Hashimi II Ibn Umar El-Kanemi 1973 Shehu
Daura Northwest Hausa/Fulani Daura Umar Farouk dan Umar 2007 Sarkin
Dikwa Northeast Kanuri Dikwa Mohammed Masta II Ibn Alamin El-Kanemi[3] 2010 Shehu Divided into Bama and Dikwa Emirates in 2010
Edo See Benin
Eko see Lagos
Fika Northeast Bole Potiskum Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa 2009 Moi Distinct from the Potiskum Emirate, also based in Potiskum
Gobir Northwest Hausa/Fulani Sabon Birni Muhammadu Bawa 1975 Sarkin Hausa city-state
Gombe Northeast Hausa/Fulani Gombe Shehu Usman Abubakar Modibo
Gujba Northeast Gujba Mai Shettima Muktar Ibn Ali Gangaram 2000 Emir Formerly part of the Fika Emirate
Gumel North Gumel Ahmad Muhammad Sani dan Maina Muhammad 1981 Emir
Gwandu Northwest Hausa/Fulani Gwandu Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar Emir
Hadejia Northeast Hausa/Fulani Hadejia Adamu Abubakar Maje 2002 Emir
Ibadan Southwest Yoruba Ibadan Samuel Odulana Odugade I 2007 Olubadan
Idah see Igala
Idoani Southwest Yoruba Idoani Aderemi Atewogboye Alani
Idoma Southeast Idoma Otukpo Elias Ikoyi Obekpa Och'Idoma IV Och'Idoma
Igala Middle belt Igala Idah Aliyu Obaje 1956 Ata
Igbirra Southwest Okene Ado Ibrahim 1997 Ohinoyi
Ijebu Kingdom Southwest Yoruba Ijebu Ode Sikiru Adetonwa Ogbagba II 1960 Awujale
Ijebu-Remo Southwest Yoruba Sagamu Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo Erinjugbo II 1990 Akarigbo See also Ijebu Kingdom, List of the Lords of Remo
Ijesa see Ilesa
Ile Ife Southwest Yoruba Ife Okunade Sijuade 1980 Ooni Adesoji Aderemi was ruler until 1980
Ilesa Kingdom Southwest Yoruba Ilesa Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II Owa
Ilorin Southwest Yoruba Ilorin Ibrahim Sulu Gambari Emir
Isedo Southwest Yoruba Ila Orangun Oyedeji Ajide Obalumo Related to the Igbomina state of Oke Ila
Itele Southwest Yoruba Itele, Ado-Odo/Ota Adesanya Mufutau Kasali Moyegeso See also Ijebu Kingdom
Itsekiri see Warri
Iwo Southwest Yoruba Iwo Asiru Olatunbosun Tadese 1992 Oluwo
Jama'are Northeast Jama'are Muhammadu Wabi IV dan Muhammadu Wabi 1975 Emir
Jema'a North Jema'a Muhammadu dan Isa 1999 Emir
Jos Middle belt Jos Jacob Gyang Buba 2009 Gbong Gwon
Jukun see Wukari
Kaiama Merged with Bussa into Borgu
Kalabari Southeast Ijaw Buguma Amakiri XI (Theophilus J.T. Princewill) 2002 Amanyanabo
Kano North Hausa/Fulani Kano Ado Bayero 1963 Emir
Katagum Northeast Katagum Muhammadu Kabir `Umar Emir
Katsina Northwest Hausa/Fulani Katsina Abdulmumini Kabir Usman 2008 Emir
Kazaure North Hausa/Fulani Kazaure Najib Husaini Adamu Emir
Kebbi Northwest Hausa/Fulani Birnin Kebbi Muhammadu Mera Muza dan Muhammadu Sani 1960 Amir Argungu
Keffi Middle belt Keffi Muhammadu Cindo Yamusa II Emir
Kontagora Northwest Hausa/Fulani Kontagora Sa`idu Namaska dan Malam 1974 Emir
Koton Karifi Middle belt Ebira Koton Karifi AIhaji Shuaibu Mamman Lafiya[4] 1970 Ohimege
Lafia Middle belt Lafia Isa Mustafa Agwa 1978 Emir
Lagiagi Southwest Lafiagi Sa'adu Kawu Haliru Emir Fulani jihad state founded 1824
Lagos Southwest Yoruba Lagos Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu I 2003 Oba Formerly the Eko state
Lapai Middle belt Nupe Lapai Umaru Bago Tafida 2002 Emir
Lere North Lere Umaru Mohammed Sani Emir
Machina North Machina Alhaji Bashir Albishir Bukar[5] Emir
Misau Northeast Misau Muhammadu Manga III Emir
Mubi Northeast Mubi Abu Bakar `Isa Ahmadu Emir
Muri North East Muri Alhaji Abbas Tafida[6] 2003 Emir
Nasarawa Middle belt Lafia Ibrahim Ramalan Abubakar 1992 Emir
Nembe Southeast Ijaw Nembe Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru, Mingi XII 2008 Amanyanabo
Nembe Bassambiri Southeast Ijaw Bassambiri Ralph Michael Iwowari, Mein VII Amanyanabo
Ningi North Hausa/Fulani Ningi Yunusa Muhammad Danyaya Chief
Nnewi Southeast Igbo Nnewi Igwe Kenneth Onyeneke Orizu III 1963 Igwe
Obioko Southeast Obioko Ekpo Eyo Abassi Eyo III 2008 Obong
Oke Ila Southwest Yoruba Oke Ila Olufemi Oladapo Babalola Obalumo Related to the Igbomina state of Isedo
Oke-Ona Egba Southwest Yoruba Abeokuta Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso Karunwi III 1989 Oshile
Okolo-Ama Southeast Ijaw Bonny Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III 1996 Amanyanabo Known as Bonny in colonial times
Okpe Southeast Edo Orerokpe Orhue I 2006 Orodje
Okrika Southeast Okrika Alfred Semenitari Abam Ado IX 2002 Amanyanabo
Ondo Southwest Yoruba Ondo Adesimbo Victor Kiladejo 2006 Osemawe
Onitsha Southeast Igbo Onitsha Nnayelugo Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe 2002 Obi
Opobo Southeast Ijaw Ikot-Abasi Daneson Douglas Jaja V 2002 Amanyanabo
Oshogbo Southwest Yoruba Oshogbo Iyiola Oyewale Matanmi III 1976 Ataoja
Owo Southwest Yoruba Owo Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi III 1999 Owo
Oyo Empire Southwest Yoruba Oyo Lamidi Adeyemi III 1970 Alaafin
Pategi Middle belt Nupe Pategi Haliru Ibrahim Chatta Etsu
Potiskum Northeast Ngizim Potiskum Umar Bubaram[7] Emir Not to be confused with the Fika Emirate, based in the same town
Sokoto Northwest Hausa/Fulani Sokoto Sa’adu Abubakar 2006 Sultan See also List of Sultans of Sokoto
Suleja Middle belt Hausa/Fulani Suleja Awwal Ibrahim 2000 Sarkin Zazzau Formerly Abuja Emirate
Tiv Middle belt Tiv Gboko Alfred Akawe Torkula 1991 Tor Tiv
Ubani see Okolo-Ama
Warri Southeast Itsekiri Warri Ogiame Atuwatse II[8] 1987 Olu Formerly Olu of Itsekiri. See also Warri Crisis
Wase Middle belt Fulani Wase Haruna Abdullahi Maikano 2001 Emir Fulani Emirate
Wukari Middle belt Jukun Wukari Shekarau Angyu Masa Ibi Kuvyon II Aku Uka
Yauri Northwest Hausa/Fulani Yauri Muhammad Zayyanu Sarkin
Zamfara Northwest Hausa/Fulani Gusau Muhammad Attahiru Ahmad Sarkin
Zaria Alternate name for Zazzau Emirate
Zazzau Northern Hausa/Fulani Zaria Shehu Idris 1975 Sarkin Ruler of Suleja Emirate also uses the title "Sarkin Zazzau"

See also

References

  1. ^ Chris Ewokor (1 August 2007). "Nigerians go crazy for a title". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6924870.stm. Retrieved 2010-09-01. 
  2. ^ "Traditional States of Nigeria". WorldStatesmen.org. http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_native.html. Retrieved 2010-09-01. 
  3. ^ Abdulkareem Haruna (28 March 2010). "Kingmakers Crown New Shehu of Dikwa". Daily Independent. http://allafrica.com/stories/201003290445.html. Retrieved 2010-09-01. 
  4. ^ PIUS ALAO (2009-10-26). "Otaru Tasks Ebira Nation On Unity". Nigerian Observer. http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/26102009/news/insideedo/indexnews2.html. Retrieved 2010-09-04. 
  5. ^ "Machina Emirate Council". Machina Emirate. http://machinanigeria.org/emirate.php. Retrieved 2010-09-02. 
  6. ^ Tashikalmah Hallah (31 October 2003). "Emir of Muri Crisis Resolved - Nyame". Daily Trust. http://allafrica.com/stories/200310310756.html. Retrieved 2010-09-04. 
  7. ^ Japhet Madaki (9 August 2010). "Mai Potiskum hails appointment of Bauchi Emir". Peoples Daily. http://www.peoplesdaily-online.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11428:mai-potiskum-hails-appointment-of-bauchi-emir-&catid=16:national-news&Itemid=33. Retrieved 2010-09-01. 
  8. ^ "Who Are The Itsekiri?". Ugbajo Itsekiri USA. http://www.itsekiri.org/files/history/history_itsekiri.php. Retrieved 2010-09-04.