Document #1281293
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
The Idoma are found in Benue state,
(Ethnologue 1996, 348; Post Express Wired 11 Feb.
1998; ibid., 24 Apr. 1997), in Otukpo and Okpokwu Local Government
Administrations. Their population is approximately 600,000 and they
speak various dialects of Idoma including, Igumale, Igwaale and
Ijigbam in Idoma south. The Idoma dialect is used in radio,
television, adult and primary education, and a national language
Bible was in progress in 1995 (Ethnologue 1996, 348). An
11 February 1998 Post Express Wired report indicates that
cultism is deeply entrenched, particularly among the Idoma youth in
academic institutions in Benue State.
Information specific to Idoma practice and
attitude towards female circumcision could not be found among the
sources consulted by the Research Directorate. For general
information on female genital mutilation in Nigeria, please consult
NGA32137.E of 7 July 1999.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is
not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any
particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see the list
of additional sources consulted in researching this Information
Request.
References
Ethnologue: Languages of the
World. 1996. 13th ed. Edited by Barbra F. Grimes. Dallas:
Summer Institute of Linguistics.
Post Express Wired. 11 February 1998. "Benue Indigenes
Seek End to Cultism." http://www.postexpresswired.com
[Accessed: 9 Sept. 1999]