Ukelle people (Nigeria)

The Ukelle people (Ba'kelle) make up roughly half of the population of the Yala Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria.[1] The language of the Ukelle people is Kukelle belonging to the Kukelle-Korring language family.[2]

The major groups among the Ukelle are:

  • North Ukelle in Cross River State: The subgroups here are Wanihem (including Wanibolor), Wanikade (including Uzenyi), Wanokom (including Otikili) and Uzekwe (including Okom).[3]
  • South Ukelle in Cross River State: Subgroups are Uzilagar (Ijiraga), Uzikatom, Uzokom (Ujokom) and Otiligom (Ntrigom).[4][5]

Ba'kelle are closely related to:

  1. ^ Lambert M. Surhone; Miriam T. Timpledon; Susan F. Marseken (2010), Ukelle, VDM Publishing
  2. ^ Eberhard, David M; Gary F. Simons; Charles D. Fennig (2022), Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Twenty-fifth edition., SIL International. Online version
  3. ^ Lambert M. Surhone; Miriam T. Timpledon; Susan F. Marseken (2010), Ukelle, VDM Publishing
  4. ^ Neighbours at War, This Day Newspaper, 2018
  5. ^ Lambert M. Surhone; Miriam T. Timpledon; Susan F. Marseken (2010), Ukelle, VDM Publishing
  6. ^ Chijioke Agwu (January 12, 2022), Rare unification in Ebonyi, The Sun Newspaper
  7. ^ P. Amauray Talbot (1969), The Peoples of southern Nigeria; Volume 2 Enthnology, Frank Cass and Co