Nembe

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This article is about the Local Government Area. For the kingdom of the same name, see Nembe Kingdom. For the language, see Nembe language.

Nembe
NELGA
LGA and town
Nembe is located in Nigeria
Nembe
Nembe
Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 4°32′12.85″N 6°24′22.36″E / 4.5369028°N 6.4062111°E / 4.5369028; 6.4062111
Country Nigeria
StateBayelsa State
HeadquartersNembe
Government
 • Local Government ChairmanSamuel Akalaguo (PDP) [1]
Area
 • Total
760 km2 (290 sq mi)
Population
 (2024 est)
 • Total
327,500
Time zoneUTC+1 (WAT)
3-digit postal code prefix
562
ISO 3166 codeNG.BY.NE
Map

Nembe is a Local Government Area[2] of Bayelsa State,[3] Nigeria.[4][citation needed] Its headquarters are in the town of Nembe in the east of the area at 4°32′22″N 6°24′01″E / 4.53944°N 6.40028°E / 4.53944; 6.40028. The people of Brass, Nembe and Southern Ijaw Councils of Bayelsa State[5] have bemoaned their neglect by oil [citation needed]companies operating in their areas.

They also lamented years of oil spillages that have destroyed their environment, aquatic life, as well as air and water pollution and called on the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission[6] (BSOEC) and international communities to come to their rescue.[7][citation needed]

History

[edit]

It has an area of 760 km2 and an estimated population of 327,500 as at 2024.[8] The postal code of the area is 562.[9] Much of the area of the LGA is occupied by the Edumanom National Forest.[10]

Nembe is one of the major communities in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.[11] The Nembe people primarily reside in Nembe Local Government Area, as well as in the towns of Twon Brass and Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area.[12] They are also present in other coastal parts of Bayelsa State, reflecting their traditional livelihoods as fishermen, traders, and farmers.

The Nembe people speak the Nembe language, a sub-dialect of the Ijaw language. Like many other ethnic groups, they observe traditional customs and taboos. In Nembe Kingdom, the killing of snakes—particularly pythons—is forbidden and regarded as a serious offense. According to local folklore, the people have a longstanding cultural relationship with pythons, a connection passed down through generations.[13][14]

Masquerade Culture in Nembe

The masquerade culture of the Nembe people is inherited from ancient times. The masquerade culture is an ageless and ancient traditional practice amongst the Nembe people. The masquerade culture has retained its basic features, and have continued to colour the social and cultural landscape of the Nembe people.

History or tradition has it that masquerades are spirit beings, and the belief of the Nembe people is that masquerades are spirit beings, signifying that the ancestors of the community are embodied in them. Masquerades[15] appears in different forms and shapes and can perform in daytimes as well as in odd hours of the night. In Nembe land, masquerade displays are commonly seen in festive occasions or periods, and in burial of prominent personalities such as kings and chiefs. The Masquerade dance is also common during coronation ceremonies.[16]

The Nembe masquerade culture can be traced to a dance club called Sekiapu. Claims have it that Sekiapu was founded in the 18th century by Meinyai Orugbani, the last son of King Mein of Nembe. He introduced the Sakiapu[citation needed] club which became a unified umbrella body of many masquerades from Kula, his maternal home.[17]

List of towns and villages in Nembe LGA

[edit]

Nembe Local Government Area consists of many villages and towns, below is the list:[18]

  1. Adukiri
  2. Agada
  3. Agbakabiriyai
  4. Agrisaba
  5. Akalukiri
  6. Akakumana
  7. Allagaokiri
  8. Amasara
  9. Atubo
  10. Bendick-kiri
  11. Benkiri
  12. Dorgu-Ewoama
  13. Dumobi-Kumakiri
  14. Ekperikiri
  15. Elemuama
  16. Enyumuana
  17. Etiema
  18. Ewokiri
  19. Fantuo
  20. Fekorukiri
  21. Igbeta-Ewoama
  22. Ikensi
  23. Isaiahkiri
  24. Iseleogona
  25. Iserekiri
  26. Kalabile-ama
  27. Mini
  28. Namapogu
  29. Nembe creek
  30. Obiama
  31. Obiata
  32. Odekiri
  33. Okipiri
  34. Okokokiri
  35. Okoroba
  36. Okparantaba
  37. Ologoma
  38. Olusasiri
  39. Oromabiri
  40. Otatubu
  41. Otumakiri
  42. Sabatoru
  43. Sangakubu
  44. Shellkiri
  45. Tengelkiri
  46. Tengikokiri
  47. Tombi

Notable people

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Climate

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The wet season is warm and overcast in Nembe, the dry season is hot and mostly cloudy, the temperature typically varies from 72 °F to 86 °F over the cost of the year and is rarely below 65 °F or above 89 °F.[20]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Gov. Diri swears in 8 LG Caretaker Chairmen, Heads of RDAs". Retrieved 2025-01-27.
  2. ^ "Nigeria: Administrative Division (States and Local Government Areas) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  3. ^ "Bayelsa State Government – The Glory of all Lands". Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  4. ^ "Nembe Local Government Area". www.manpower.com.ng. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  5. ^ "Bayelsa State Government – The Glory of all Lands". Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  6. ^ "The Bayelsa State Oil & Environmental Commission". The Bayelsa State Oil & Environmental Commission. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  7. ^ "Oil Spill: Bayelsa communities slam oil firms over neglect". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  8. ^ "MINA Ijaw Population Report 2024 Estimate | PDF | Nigeria". Scribd. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  9. ^ "Post Offices- with map of LGA". NIPOST. Archived from the original on 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  10. ^ "Hyperleap". frontend. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  11. ^ "Bayelsa State Government – The Glory of all Lands". Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  12. ^ Oduntan, Olalekan. "NEMBE CULTURAL VALUES". Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  13. ^ Jeremiah (2019-02-23). "Inside Bayelsa Community Where Python Is Royal". Leadership News - Nigeria News, Breaking News, Politics and more. Retrieved 2021-09-16.
  14. ^ "The Nembe Cultural Association". Africa. 40 (2): 167. April 1970. doi:10.1017/S0001972000039309. ISSN 1750-0184.
  15. ^ "Masquerade - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms". Vocabulary.com. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  16. ^ Manjapra, Kris (2018-10-02). "Third World Humanities from South Asian Perspectives: An Oral History Approach". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 41 (4): 828–845. doi:10.1080/00856401.2018.1516174. ISSN 0085-6401. S2CID 150316738.
  17. ^ "Nembe". Kingdoms of Nigeria. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
  18. ^ "Towns & Villages in Nembe « Bayelsa State « Nigeria". Towns & Villages. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  19. ^ Inengite, Patrick (2019-01-29). "THE 1914 AMALGAMATION OF NORTH | SOUTH: A HISTORIC MISADVENTURE". Medium. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
  20. ^ "Nembe Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Nigeria) - Weather Spark". weatherspark.com. Retrieved 2023-01-06.