The Ukelle people (Ba'kelle) make up roughly half of the population of the Yala Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria.[1] The language of the Ukelle people is Kukelle belonging to the Kukelle-Korring language family.[2]
The major groups among the Ukelle are:
- North Ukelle in Cross River State: The subgroups here are Wanihem (including Wanibolor), Wanikade (including Uzenyi), Wanokom (including Otikili) and Uzekwe (including Okom).[3]
- South Ukelle in Cross River State: Subgroups are Uzilagar (Ijiraga), Uzikatom, Uzokom (Ujokom) and Otiligom (Ntrigom).[4][5]
Ba'kelle are closely related to:
- Orring people of Effium (Uffium), Ntezi (Eteji), Amuda (Idzem) and Okpoto in Ebonyi State.[6]
- Utonkon (also known as Uffia or Wanffia) in Benue State.[7]
- ^ Lambert M. Surhone; Miriam T. Timpledon; Susan F. Marseken (2010), Ukelle, VDM Publishing
- ^ Eberhard, David M; Gary F. Simons; Charles D. Fennig (2022), Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Twenty-fifth edition., SIL International. Online version
- ^ Lambert M. Surhone; Miriam T. Timpledon; Susan F. Marseken (2010), Ukelle, VDM Publishing
- ^ Neighbours at War, This Day Newspaper, 2018
- ^ Lambert M. Surhone; Miriam T. Timpledon; Susan F. Marseken (2010), Ukelle, VDM Publishing
- ^ Chijioke Agwu (January 12, 2022), Rare unification in Ebonyi, The Sun Newspaper
- ^ P. Amauray Talbot (1969), The Peoples of southern Nigeria; Volume 2 Enthnology, Frank Cass and Co