Jilbe in Nigeria

The Jilbe have only been reported in Nigeria
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Jilbe are also known as the Zoulbou people. Their language of Jilbe is critically endangered. Most young people prefer to speak Hausa and English, the languages they learn in schools. No Christian resources are currently available in the Jilbe language. Many Jible are unable to read and write so the gospel will need to be shared with them in visual and oral forms.


Where Are they Located?

They are found on the border of northeastern Nigeria and Chad. Their settlement on the Nigeria side has been threatened by insurgency, and the Jilbe town near the border with Chad has not been spared from violence.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Jilbe's practice of Islam has influenced their culture and identity significantly. They are an agricultural community who live in rural villages surrounded by the land they farm. They grow maize, beans, vegetables, millet, and yams. Peanuts, palm oil and kola nuts provide cash so that the Jilbe can purchase things they cannot make for themselves like cell phones and tools.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Jilbe people are Sunni Muslims heavily influenced by folk religion. They believe that the One, Supreme God, Allah, revealed through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, you must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times a day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if you have the means. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, slandering, and making idols. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship.

In most of the Muslim world, peoples like the Jilbe depend on the spirit world for their daily needs since they regard Allah as too distant. Allah may determine their eternal salvation, but the spirits determine how well we live in our daily lives. For that reason, they must appease the spirits. The often use charms and amulets to help them deal with spiritual forces.


What Are Their Needs?

The Jilbe people need adequate rain for their crops and their livestock so they can live lives free of want and poverty. They need modern medical care and good schools that will help the next generation to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

The Jilbe people need to hear and understand the message of Jesus Christ, that He is more than a prophet. Jesus alone can forgive their sins and get them right with the one, true God.


Prayer Points

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Jilbe people in Nigeria.
Pray for the Jilbe people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.
Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Jilbe people to change their society from within.
Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers Jilbe disciples to make more disciples.
Pray that the Bible is translated into the Jilbe language.


Scripture Prayers for the Jilbe in Nigeria.


References

peoplegroups.org/explore/GroupDetails.aspx?peid=13878#topmenu
Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association (NEMA)


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Jilbe
People Name in Country Jilbe
Alternate Names Zoulbou
Population this Country 5,300
Population all Countries 5,300
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 12355
ROP3 Code 104268
ROP25 Code 303386
ROP25 Name Jilbe
Country Nigeria
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 6  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Borno state: Jilbe town, Cameroon border area. 1 village.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Nigeria
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 6  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Borno state: Jilbe town, Cameroon border area. 1 village..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.50 %)
3.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
97.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Jilbe (5,300 speakers)
Language Code jie   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Jilbe (5,300 speakers)
Language Code jie   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Jilbe

Primary Language:  Jilbe

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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