Introduction / History

In Nigeria, many languages and people groups are known by several names. People in this language group call themselves Pesse, saying that the government and other groups call them Polchi/Polci, and the Hausa call them Polsawa or Palshwa. Pesse has an estimated 37,000 speakers spread through forty-five villages.

Where Are they Located?

They are spread across forty-five settlements in the Polchi District in Dass Local Government Areas (LGA) and Toro District in Toro LGA, Bauchi State. The Pesse recounted their earliest point of origin in the region that is now the country of Mali, which is northwest of Nigeria. Gauri and Dumba were listed as their earliest settlements. They said that the reason for this migration was a search for good farmland.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The primary occupation of these people is farming. They also engage in animal rearing, hunting, quarrying, and wood processing. The Pesse have markets in Bazali and Nabordo. The Pesse and Zulle also have access to markets in neighbouring Hausa towns along the Jos-Bauchi Road. The communities with markets welcome people from all neighbouring communities for commercial activities. There are primary schools in many villages. However, secondary school is available only for the Pesse at Bazali. Therefore, few students complete secondary education. In most communities no more than half of the children usually attend school. While English and Hausa are the only languages used in the classroom, the children are not discouraged from using Pesse on the playground.

They use Hausa for interactions with all neighbouring groups. The Pesse attend markets and health clinics in Hausa communities and the churches function mostly in Hausa. There is little use of Pesse in formal settings like schools and churches

What Are Their Beliefs?

There are five different denominations; Church of Christ in Nigeria, Evangelical Church Winning All, Roman Catholic Church, Rapture Church and the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria.

What Are Their Needs?

There are no clinics in any of their communities. They must go to neighbouring towns for health care. They need to have the Bible in Pesse, so they can read God's word in the language that they understand best. There is also a need for more secondary schools in more villages.

Prayer Items

Pray that the Pesse people will desire to have Scripture in their heart language.
Pray for new worship songs to be written and sung in Pesse.
Pray for clinics to be set up in their communities so they don't have to travel for health care.
Pray for them to have more secondary schools beside the one in Bazali.
Pray Joel 2:28 over the Pesse people.

Scripture Prayers for the Pesse in Nigeria.