Berom people

Berom people
The Berom (sometimes also spelt as Birom; exonyms: ) is one of the largest autochthonous ethnic group in Plateau State, central Nigeria. Covering about four local government areas, which include Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi (Gwol) and Riyom. Berom people are also found in some southern Kaduna State local government areas like Fadan Karshe with Berom settlers tracing their origins to Za'ang (Zawan) a Berom district on the Jos Plateau. They emigrated during the British Colonial Government of Nigeria. A large number of this tribe, if not all are Christians(about 99% of the populace of the Berom people are estimated to be practicing Christianity). Statistics also have it that a large number of the population of Plateau State is made up of Berom people.
The Berom speak the Berom language, which belongs to the Plateau branch of Benue–Congo, a subfamily of the large Niger–Congo language family. It is not related to the Hausa language (which belongs to the Afro-Asiatic family) or other Afro-Asiatic languages of Plateau State, which are Chadic languages.
Culture
The Berom people have a rich cultural heritage. They celebrate the Nzem Berom festival annually in March or April. Other festivals include Nzem Tou Chun (worongchun) and Wusal Berom. Its one of the major aborigine groups in Nigeria (Plateau State) that believes in the Judeo-Christian God (Dagwi).
Festivals
Some Berom festivals include:
Mandyɛng, in March/April - harvest festival
Tyǐ, in August - red ochre collection festival
Badù, in March/April - harvest festival
Nshok, in March/April - harvest festival
Worong cun, in April/May - planting festival, celebrated after good rains
Búná/Vwana, in August - fonio harvest festival
Mado, in October/November - hunting festival celebrated for prosperity. Che people also take part.
Behwol, in February/March - hunting festival celebrated for prosperity. Che, Boze, Anaguta, inand Izere peoples also take part.
Nzem Berom, in March/April - one-week Berom festival celebrating Berom cultural identity that was first celebrated in 1981
Wusal Berom, in November - Christian festival that was first celebrated in 1992
Festivals in Berom culture are primarily related to agriculture and hunting, which have been the main events revolving around Berom livelihood and cosmology. Agriculture-related festivals are typically cycled around different villages.
Nzem Berom
The influx of Christianity and western Education paved way for many socio-cultural changes in Berom culture. The changes devalued the rich culture of the people bringing serious predicament of a severe social and cultural crisis. In order to avoid the danger of losing the socio-cultural practice of the ancestor, and the overall precolonial activities such as the Mandyeng, Nshok, Worom Chun, Vwana, ceremonies were brought into a single umbrella festival called Nzem Berom. Nzem Berom is held within the first week of April, to coincide with the period when Mandyeng, Nshok and Badu Festival was held. The Nzem is a period when different cultural displays are exhibited from different parts of Berom land, especially in music, dance, arts and culture.
Mandyeng
Mandyeng is a major festival celebrated in Berom land to usher in the rainy season. The festivals normally take place in March/ April. In the past the Berom regard Mandyeng/Nshok (they are very similar) the most vital festivals which ensured a good farming and hunting period and harvest. Not all the Berom communities celebrate Mandyeng and Nshok. Those that perform 'Mandyeng' claim their roots from Riyom, they include; Vwang, Kuru, Zawan, Gyel, Rim, Bachit, Bangai, Lwa, Sop, Jol, Wereng Kwi, Gwo, Kakuruk, Kuzeng, Kurak, Kuchin, Rahos and Tahoss.
Nshok: Nshok slightly varies from Mandiyeng due to the fact that it also associates hunting with the rainy season farming. It is also held once a year around the months of April and May, to usher in the new season just as the Mandyeng.
Names
In the pre-colonial era the Berom regarded hunting as both an occupation and a sport. Although economically it was not as important as farming, hunting was regarded as a show of skill and bravery. So much so, that most Berom names are derived from game animals, most importantly duiker, due to their perceived beauty. Names such as Gyang, Pam, Dung, Davou, Chuwang, Badung etc. for boys are most common, while girls answer to Kaneng, Lyop, Chundung, Nvou, Kangyang. These are names for different species of duiker. Others, such as Bot (frog) Tok (fish), Tsok (toad) etc. are names for other animals that are non-domesticated, but not game. These names clearly typify how important game was in pre-colonial Berom society.
Nshok was not the only hunting festival in Berom land. Festivals such as Mado and Behwol existed but are not as important as Nshok.
Music
Some of the musical instruments among the Berom include:
Yom Nshi: a two-string banjo made with calabash and skin as resonators
Yom: a straw string instrument
Kwag or Gwashak: a scraper made from dry cactus played with a stick slid across the sawed body of the dry cactus to produce a scraping sound
Kundung: a xylophone made of cattle horns and cobwebs (image).
Berom musical instruments listed in Blench (2021):
Idiophones
Xylophone (kundung or yom bi tok)
Vessel rattle
Ankle rattles, made from Borassus aethiopum leaves
Scraper, guiro (gwák or gwàshák) made from Euphorbia kamerunica (yěp)
Membranophones
Barrel-drum (biŋ)
Gourd-drum, bing shi
Conical drum (rwey biŋ or bing gwom) reserved for royalty
Hourglass drum (kalangu)
Chordophones
Raft-zither (yom kwo)
Arched harp (yom waya)
Trough-lute (yom shi)
Aerophones
Flutes
Ju, single-note whistle ensemble
Ju shelo, fingerhole notch-flute
Unknown flute
Horns and trumpets
Transverse horn, bwo nyama
End-blown horn
End-blown trumpet
Berom dance equipment listed in Blench (2021):
Shang, fibre buttock ornament
Gadus or gawat, fly-whisk
Bong, dance hat
dance skirts
Food
The ancient Beroms primary food staple was chun (fonio) which even to this day remains a primary part of Berom diet. Tuk chun is served with any soup of choice; katai chun (rich soup of mostly wild vegetables) and bwirik chun (gruel). Maize grits are sometimes used as a substitute for chun in katai. As time went, the Beroms adopted pwana and ngai (millet) for gruel.
Clothing and Attire
Land and natural features
Berom ancestral lands are all located on high ground on the Jos plateau; beautiful scenery and undulating terrains. One prominent plant found in all Berom localities is ryep or cactus
Leadership
The Berom have a paramount ruler called the Gbong Gwom Jos. The traditional stool was created in 1935 by the British colonial administration of Northern Nigeria. Northern Nigeria was composed of completely different linguistic and cultural features between the ethnicities on the Plateau and the other groups. This ignorance of ethnic differences had initially encouraged the formation of vassal Hausa heads to oversee the created Jos Native Authority, which proved tumultuous with the Berom due to conflicting views and interests.
Through a circular; No. 24p/1916[JOS PROF NAK 473/1916], dated 15 August 1917, the Resident at Bauchi Province was instructed to send potentials from various native authorities including district and village heads to be elevated as chieftains by the Governor General. In response to the circular, the Resident wrote back to the secretary Northern Province Kaduna via a memo No. 24/1916 [JOSPROF NAK 473/1916] dated 27 October 1917, recommended a paramount ruler to superintend the native areas.
In the pre-colonial period, the Berom were divided into autonomous political groups based on regions, but the colonial authority merged them under the Gbong Gwom in 1952 to help coordinate the activities of the natives.
Leaders
The first chief Dachung Gyang of Riyom assumed leadership from 1935 to 1941. Under Dachung Gyang, the traditional institution was designated as the Berom Tribal Council composing of local chiefs within the Jos Native Authority. Its authority then only included mainly the Berom and excluded the chiefs of Buji, Naraguta, Jos and Bukuru. However, the government, in a Gazette of 7 February 1918, modified the list to include the Buji, Naraguta, Jos and Bukuru .
The emergence of Da Rwang Pam (1947 to his death on 14 July 1969) saw the elevation of the head of the Tribal Council to the stool of the Gbong Gwom Jos.
Since 1969, the stool has been held by the following:
Da. Dr. Fom Bot, 19 August 1969 to his death on 1 December 2002
Da Victor Dung Pam, 17 April 2004 to 7 March 2009
Da Jacob Gyang Buba, 1 April 2009 to the present
The former governors of Plateau State Michael Botmang and Jonah David Jang, are of Berom origin.
Institutions
The Berom people are Christians in soul and tradition as several aspects of Berom life and culture has been absorbed by Christian norms and ethics most demonstrably through their tremendous hospitality. Over 95% of Beroms are members of either COCIN or Roman Catholic and 2 of the institutions listed below i.e BLTB and BOM are Christian institutions. There are also a record number of Berom Christian songs that trend on the Plateau.
Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO)
Berom Youth Movement (BYM)
motto: Gasi ha yi bwei
Berom Language and Translation Board (BLTB)
Berom Outreach Ministries (BOM)
Notable people
John Dungs†, soldier, industrialist, statesman and former Military Administrator of Delta State. CEO of H. F. Schroeder West Africa Limited and founder CEO of Langfield Group Limited. A Prince of Riyom (scion of Da. Dung Jok, Gwom Rwei Riyom)
Toma Tok Bot, first pastor of the Berom Church
Sambo Daju†, physicist, educationist and public servant. Former Commissioner of Education; Lands and Survey Benue-Plateau State
D. B. Zang†, tin magnate, industrialist and elder statesman
Sambo Bashi Gyel†, entrepreneur, politician and elder statesman
Michael Botmang†, politician and first Berom Deputy Governor and Governor of Plateau State
Lamba Gwom†(Cmdr.), Federal Minister of Transport and Federal Minister of Internal Affairs in the Cabinet of Ibrahim Babangida
Peter Gyang Sha†(Brig. Gen.), soldier and former General Officer Commanding 3rd armoured division of the Nigerian Army, Jos
Jonah Jang, soldier and statesman, former Governor of Plateau State
Dung Chong†,(Maj. Gen) soldier and former director of intelligence Nigerian Army
Philip Davou Dung Catholic Bishop of Shendam Diocese, appointment 5 November 2016
P. D. Pwajok†, elder statesman and entrepreneur. Founder of P. D. Pwajok and sons enterprises
Dachollom Datiri (Rev), clergyman and former President Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN)
Davou Zang, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 4th National Assembly.
Sen Luka Gwom†, elder and renowned historian
John Wash Pam† Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former Deputy Senate President in the 2nd National Assembly
James Vwi (MHR), politician and Honourable Member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the Third Nigerian Republic (5 December 1992 – 17 November 1993) representing Barkin Ladi constituency; member House committee on petroleum and mineral resources. Former national president Berom Youth Movement (BYM). During the 2006/2007 democratic to democratic transition, he broke ranks with the incumbent PDP and aligned with his kinsman John Dungs
Kachollom Daju, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment
Barnabas Dusu†, Berom Language and Translation Board luminary that pioneered the translation of the Holy Bible to Berom language known as Bwok Basa Dagwi. The earlier version (New Testament) is known as Takada wuna sira pas
Yakubu Pam (Rev), pastor; Executive Secretary Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission and formerly chairman Plateau chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria and later CAN chairman North-Central geopolitical zone. Reverend Pam is also a member of the presidential council on CAN.
Chris Bature, pastor and General Overseer Berom Outreach Ministries
Yohanna Kwa†, engineer and inventor. Former Chief Executive Nigerian Mining Corporation
Gyang Dalyop Dantong†, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 6th National Assembly and 7th National Assembly representing Plateau North senatorial constituency
Gyang Pwajok†, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 7th National Assembly representing Plateau North senatorial constituency
Daniel Sunday Dung, Member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 4th National Assembly, Fourth Nigerian Republic representing Jos South/Jos East constituency
Gabriel Bwan Fom† Member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 5th National Assembly representing Jos South/Jos East constituency
Istifanus Gyang, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 9th National Assembly for Plateau North senatorial constituency and formerly MHR representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom constituency in the 8th National Assembly
Edward Pwajok, attorney (Senior Advocate of Nigeria) and Member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 8th National Assembly representing Jos South/Jos East constituency
Dachung Musa Bagos, Member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria in the 9th National Assembly representing Jos South/Jos East constituency
Stephen Dalyop Pam, Honourable Justice of the Federal High Court of Nigeria
Assistant Inspector General of Police Ezekiel Zang
Sati Pam Dakwak†, former Head of Civil Service, Plateau State and elder statesman
Davou S. B. Gyel, entrepreneur and Honourable Member of the House of Representatives during the Third Nigerian Republic representing Jos South constituency
Victor Kwon†, attorney and former People's Democratic Party national legal adviser
Gyang Dudu, customs officer and BECO President
Yakubu Gyang Dakwak, attorney and former Chief Justice, Plateau State High Court of Justice
Police Commissioner, Fom Pam Joseph
Matthew Pwajok, Director and former Managing Director Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)
Rufus Bature, politician and former Member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Secretary to the State Government in Simon Lalong's administration and later state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Ezekiel Dalyop, public servant and former Head of Civil Service, Plateau State
Sambo Choji, footballer
Chris Giwa, football personality, philanthropist and owner of Giwa F.C.
Daps Dalyop Gwom, gospel artist
Jeremiah Gyang singer and record producer
Kenneth Gyang, filmographer
Kevin Chuwang, Big Brother Africa Season 4 winner
Ayuba Pam Dangwong, Veteran journalist with the nation newspaper and a former special adviser media and publicity to Governor Jang. Prominent for his stories and reports during the crisis and defendant of Berom nation his son Dr Alex Pam known for charitable works in his community
References
Nyam, S. D. (ed.). 2004. The Berom Digest. Jos: Berom Historical Publications
External links
Roger Blench, Berom Images
Ethnic groups in Nigeria
Plateau State