The Nupe people also fondly called Tapa by their Yoruba neighbour are predominantly in Niger and commonplace in Kwara and Kogi states.All in the middlebelt of Nigeria.
The Nupe people historically are cousins to the Yoruba people in the western part of Nigeria. They share similarities in culture, tradition and linguidtic group.(Benue-Congo group)with their Yoruba kins.(the Igbomina People)For Many centuries, there had been a cultural cross-fertilisation via trade and conflict between Nupe and Yoruba people.It has been interesting to note that , Sango’s brother once invaded the Nupe people during his reign as the king of Oyo, the Etsu-Nupe, known then to the Yoruba as Lajomo, fought back strongly and the evidence of that historical event could be traced to Ede and Ilesha and the conquest of Oyo Empire. However, events of the following years showed that the relationship between the Nupe people and, the Yoruba became to be cordial. This explains the introduction of Igunnuko into Yoruba land by the Nupe. Subsequently, with the introduction of Islam into Nupe Land, it equally spread fast to the neighbouring Yoruba towns like Offa and Ibolo communities.
Nupe servants to leading Yoruba chiefs were treated with cordiality. A prominent example was the Tapa Oshodi, the servant of Kosoko, the King of Lagos, who recognised or treated slaves as free natives. Hence, the Nupes in Yoruba land made themselves at home throughout the 19th century. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Tapa Oshodi’s name has become a popular or household name in Lagos and beyond.
It is equally worthy to note that, the Oranmiyan dynasty was established in old Oyo which was the admnistrative headquarters of Yoruba land through inter marriage between Nupe and Yoruba race.Oranmiyan,a grandson of Oduduwa, the Yoruba progenitor, married Elempe ,the Nupe King’s daughter, according to legend,Sango,the powerful and fearsome god of thunder was their son,which made him (Sango)half Nupe and half Yoruba. Sango went on to become the Alaafin of Oyo empire.
The Nupe masquerade like Egungun and Igunnuko were incorporated into the Yoruba’s culture ,this was as a result of cross-cultural bond that exist between them.Conquest was the catalyst for the formation of the Nupe state.In cultural matters such as language, religion and agricultural techniques and trade,the Nupe had strong influence as well as being greatly influenced by their neighbours.For example, Bronze figures discovered at Tada and Jebba point to a link to Ife and Benin.Stone figures with Nupe and Yoruba traits found among the Igbomina-Yoruba of central Nigeria indicates centuries of interactions and bond.
The history of Nupe in the early part of 19th century was that of war,political insecurity and conquests.This was the period when Islam began to make incursion into Nupe kingdom. The Fulani conquest which took place in stages after was quite influential in what culminated into a strong bond between Nupe and its Hausa /Fulani brother.
Historically, the Nupe are made up of several groups of people with different dialects,two of which are not native of Nupeland.These two are distinct from mainstream Nupe.They are Benu who traced their origin from Borno and Gbedegi that belongs to Toruba tribe.
Nupe also have historical ties with people of Ilorin.There is wuite significant population of Bariba(Nupe) living in Ilorin.Apart fromYoruba and Fulani tribes who had great influence on Nupe’s culture, Nupe people also spread far and wide the continent Africa.
