Introduction / History

The Forgotten Cradle Of Egbira Civilization – Koton Karfe – that's where the Egbira people call home. For the past 300 years, they've had a renowned history as blacksmiths. Creating warfare instruments like spears, arrows and cutlasses which were smelted in large quantities, providing a source of economic power for the people.
They are mainly located in the Koton Karfe Emirate. An ancient town, with sprawling rusted zinc houses. The town is divided into two by the Abuja-Abaji-Koton Karfe-Lokoja highway. The mountain side provides a good reserve for wildlife, the swampy area, stretching down to the two rivers, provides fertile soil for cultivation of crops and abundant ponds for fishing. They can also be found in the Edo, Kwara and Nassarawa state.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Egbira people are part of a fishing and farming community. The majority of the people of the state are farmers. The state is blessed with suitable ecological and climatic conditions. It is therefore possible to produce various agricultural products including yams, cassava, soya bean, cocoyam, maize, millet, rice, guinea corn, palm produce, cowpea, and others. The State's rich agricultural endowment is reflected in its capacity to produce cash crops like cocoa, coffee and cashew.
Kogi State is blessed with strategic minerals. These include iron ore, mica, marble, limestone, coal, crude oil. Others include gold, kaolin, casserite, columbite, tantalite, feldspar, and dolomite.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Islam is the largest religion, with 75 percent of the Egbira people following this faith. Five percent are Christian.

What Are Their Needs?

There is complete absence of social amenities here. The roads are bad, there is no pipe borne water, even though they are surrounded by water. There is also lack of a government presence, apart from the Nigeria Prison Service. They also don't have a commercial bank, despite their strategic location.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to stir in the Egbira Koto people a desire for the one who is the truth.
Pray for the Egbira Koto people to find life to the full in Jesus Christ.
For the Egbira Koto people's hearts to be open so seeds of faith will fall on good soil.
Pray for provision of social amenities—fresh water, repaired roads etc.
Pray for boldness for the Christians there to be able to share their faith.

Scripture Prayers for the Egbira Koto in Nigeria.