Gbagyi: Heritage

Gbagyi people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria with an estimated population figure put at 5.8 million.




Brief History:
It has been claimed that the Gbagyi people migrated from Borno into the Abuja region due to conflict with the Kanuri. Additionally, Gbagyi familiarity with the lapis lazuli stone has been taken in some quarters as indication of Egyptian origin. The question of Gbagyi origin is farther complicated by the fact that
the Nupe and Gbagyi languages have recognized affinity and the Koro, whose history seems to have
been intricately linked with that of the Gbagyi, actually claim linkage with Wukari and the Kwarafara Empire.
 
The first settler was a hunter who was on expedition to Paikokun land, a thick forest in Abuja. Paikokun was the name of the mountain where the first settler inhabited.

The Gbagyi people settled on mountains. While on the mountain, about eight kings were crowned; which
means that they lived as an organized people, even on the mountain. And when they came down, about  four rulers were crowned. Interestingly, the Gbagyi people from Minna came down from the mountain when westernization came, which attracted a rail track. The people thus agreed to come down to the plain instead of remaining on the mountain.

Gbagyi or Gwarri (also spelled Gbari) are peaceful, agriculturalist, artistic and Nupoid-speaking people
living in North-Central geo-political zone of Nigeria. They predominantly live in the Niger, Kaduna States
and the Federal Capital Territory. They are also found in Nasarawa and Kogi States. Gbagyi is the
most populated ethnic Group and indigenous in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, where their major occupation is farming. 

Gbagyi people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria with an estimated population figure put at 5.8
million, spread in four States, including the FCT and located in thirty local Government areas, according to
the 2006 National Population Census figures. 

The word Gwari, which the Gbagyi are famously called, is the name of a particular yam in Gbagyi.
Principally there are three types of Gwari: Gwari Niger, Gwari Gengen and Gwari Yama. Before their
farming occupation, Gwari’s were into calabash carving, pottery and hunting and fishing.The Gbagyi
people are known to be, noble, peace-loving, transparent and accommodating people. 

 In most African cultures, women carry loads on their head. The situation is quite different among Gwari
women in Nigeria. In this society, women carry loads on their shoulders, because they are of the believe
that the head should be accorded a royal status as the King of the entire body, saddled with the task
of thinking for the body, as a result it should not be burdened with manual or pedestrian task, such as
ferrying goods from place to place.