Rendere

The Rendere are a tribe of the Jukun people and are mostly found in the North Central area of Nigeria. They speak Rindre as their mother tongue. The people are sometimes referred to as Nungu, Lindere, Rindere or Rendre. They are predominantly rural dwellers who practice agriculture and are well known with their crafts, hunting and dance.
Overview
The Rendere people were known as strong warrious who forth many battles to find themselves in their present location. Although there is no clear indication to the type of war they were engaged in, but the idea of bow and arrow as well as swords during their celebrative dances remain a significant aspect of warriors in the African history. They are said to have forth and always conquered their opponents where ever they choose to stay although they never developed ideas of establishing kingdoms or colonies like the British or the Hausa Fulani’s, but they continued their search for greener pasture. In their act of movement, which is similar to that of the nomadic, the Rindre’s became friends with the British during the 19th century.
Traditionally, the Rindre people believes in themselves and also believe in their civilization, they reject mostly the idea of any form of religion, they continue to believe in their tradition until they began to spread in different parts which make some of them have contact with other cultures and religions while others embraced the western education.
According to some historical proof, the name Nungu was a creation of the Hausa Fulani who came from the far north region of Nigeria. Hausa Fulani people, who were said to be direct followers of bayajida and the Uthman Dan fodio dynasty the leader of the Islamic Jihad of 1804, came with the Islamic Jihad having the hope of conquering the north central tribes and groups but failed in many instances. They did not find it easy with the Rindre people due to their decentralised settings. Except in the times of war or any importance rituals. At that time when the Hausa Fulani came with their sophisticated gadget, the Rindre people at that time have caves which serves as protection for them in times of war. At that time when the Hausa Fulani’s came with their sophistication, the Rindre realising that they are facing a stronger power, they quickly ran back into their cave after the first attempt that almost defeated them. After they went back, they re-strategise and came out with full force to face the Hausa Fulani Jihadis but this time around not with physical strength but with intrigues and much sense. The Rindre’s haven realised that their weapons can’t face the Hausa Fulani’s they used poison at some points on their arrows and at some points used the typical magic. They went back to the field and hide from a distance and shot the small arrow into their skin. The hausa fulani’s could not identify which direction the small stick came from, they neglect the stick assuming it just a stick. On their journey as they continue to strategise, the poison began to make them fall weak and before they could realise must of the army where death. Haven realised that, the few that survived became scared and began to refer to the Rindre people as MUGU a Hausa word meaning Wicked. They consider the Rindre people to have very strong magical powers than theirs. Due to the war that saw most of the Hausa Fulani army death, the remaining once became weak and could not proceed with their Islamic campaign they latter settled a distant away from the Rindre setting and began to make friend with the Rindre people not on the bases of war but this time around on the bases of business but always cautioning themselves on the need to be careful with the Rindre people because they are MUGAYE (Wicked people) from that time they referred to a Rindre man as Mugu a name that was later adopted by the Rindre man as a teaser.
In response, the Rindre man was ignorant of what the meaning of MUGU might be but taught its something pleasant, they began to call themselves NUNGU a misprounciation of the word MUGU that they use to mock one another.
The Rindre people are referred to as Nungu by both the Hausa Fulani and their neighbours. That name continued until when the Rindre’s began to have more closer relationship with the Hausa Fulani people that they understood the meaning of what the Hausa Fulani man meant by Mugu. They later rejected the name and reverted back to the name of the founder Rindre.
Although until the 20th century, the Rindre succeeded in establishing a strong and flourishing state, the Wamba kingdom in the present Nasarawa state the north central area of Nigeria is known to be the home of all the Rindre’s. Wamba an old city in the pre colonial history of Nigeria was a government reserved area since the late 19th century, it was named a district in 1921 under the lord lugards british colonization, but due to political selfishness, sentiment and disunity that later came among the Rindres, the Rindre land is considered backward and given less regards by both government and even the people of Rindre.
The Rindre people sometime called Lindire, Rendre, Rindiri are located in Wamba LGA, Akwanga LGA, Nasarawa Eggon LGA, Lafia, Sanga LGA, Kokona LGA, Obi LGA are estimated to have a population of about 120,000 people (1999).
Classification of Rindre People: Niger-Congo, Atlantic Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Plateau, Western, Southwestern.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu