Introduction / History

The Northeast Central Ijo people speak a unique language called Biseni (also known as Amegi or Buseni). This language is one of the nine Ijaw languages and belongs to a big language family called Niger-Congo. The Ijo people have been living in the Niger Delta for a very long time, with evidence showing they were there as far back as 800 B.C.! Some people think they come from an ancient tribe called the Oru.The Biseni-speaking people live along the coast in a place called Biseni-Okordia, which is in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. This area has lots of waterways and lush, green landscapes.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Fishing is a big part of life for the Ijo people. They also grow a variety of foods, including rice, plantains, cassava, yams, cocoyams, bananas, and vegetables. They even grow tropical fruits like guava, mangoes, and pineapples. They sell products like smoked-dried fish, timber, palm oil, and palm kernels. Some people work in the oil and gas industry or in government jobs.The Ijo people are organized into clans, each led by a chief. Marriages are celebrated with a bride price. They have fun cultural festivals and ceremonies that include wrestling, boat racing, traditional dances, and masquerades. In masquerades, men wear carved masks and dance to drums, honoring water spirits. Some believe these spirits possess the dancers.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Ijo people are Protestants, focusing on social justice. However, they also keep many traditional practices, especially during festivals. They honor their ancestors and water spirits called Owuamapu. To find out why someone died, they use a form of divination called Igbadai.

What Are Their Needs?

Getting around is tough for the Ijo people because Bayelsa State has lots of water, making it hard to build roads.Biseni is the first language everyone speaks, but it’s not taught in schools. A survey would help understand how much Biseni, English, Hausa, and other languages are used. Community leaders want to keep their language alive and might attend workshops to learn about language preservation. Having the Bible in Biseni would help them understand the gospel better.

Prayer Items

Pray that community leaders attend workshops about keeping their language strong and consider translating the Bible into Biseni.Pray for good transportation for potential translators to attend these workshops.Pray for a Bible translation project to start among the Ijo people so they can learn and grow in their faith.

Scripture Prayers for the Ijaw, Northeast Central in Nigeria.

References

Biseni language - WikipediaBiseni | Ethnologue FreePeopleGroups.org - Northeast Central IjawIjaw people - WikipediaBayelsa State - Wikipedia