page_title: Idoma people
section_title: Idoma Traditional Colours
hierarchical_section_title: Idoma people / Idoma Traditional Colours
caption_attribution_description: English: Young Idoma woman dressed with the Idoma colours preparing roasted yam.
context_page_description: The Idoma are people that primarily inhabit the lower western areas of Benue State, Nigeria, and kindred groups can be found in Cross Rivers State, Enugu State and Nasarawa State in Nigeria. The Idoma language is classified in the Akweya subgroup of the Idomoid languages of the Volta–Niger family, which include Alago, Agatu, Etulo and Yala languages of Benue, Nasarawa and Northern Cross river states. The Akweya subgroup is closely related to the Yatye-Akpa sub-group. The bulk of the territory is inland, south of river Benue, some seventy-two kilometers east of its confluence with river Niger. The Idomas are known to be 'warriors' and 'hunters' of class, but hospitable and peace-loving. The greater part of Idoma land remained largely unknown to the West until the 1920s, leaving much of the colorful traditional culture of the Idoma intact. The population of the Idoma is estimated to be about 4 million. The Idoma people have a traditional ruler called the Och'Idoma who is the head of the Idoma Area Traditional Council while each community has its own traditional chief such as the Ad'Ogbadibo of Orokam, Chief D.E Enenche.
context_section_description: The traditional colours of the Idoma people are red and black stripes. This has only been around since the 1980s to foster a distinct Idoma identity.
caption: Young Idoma woman wearing traditional colours preparing yam.
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