Ihonam: The Popular Chi’ese insects’ Market in Kwande (Opinion)

By: Iorliam’Amo Shija

Ihonam Market is not a big market. In short, it is a small market only for a section of the Nanev group in Kwande Local Government Benue State.

The Nanev Group is one out of the four major sections of the people who make up what is today known as Kwande. The other three are Turan, Ikyurav-ya and Shangev-Ya.

The Mbagba people of the Nanev group are, to me the, second greatest, just after Mbayoo. The Mbayoo are where you have Mbagande- families like the Adikpos and Burs are from here .

The people known today as Mbagba in Nanev are the sons of their great ancestor, Gba. Gba had four sons Koso, Iwen, Nyienge and Iyuwe.

Mbakoso, Mbaiwen, Mbanyienge and Mbaiyuwe are the four sections of Mbagba today, each bearing the names of their forefathers.

Nyienge, one of the sons of Gba had two sons: Ayakor and Hiev.
So when an elder in Ayakor of the Mbanyienge group,known as Ataka Dagbera welcomed a whiteman in the area in the early 1940s, he didn’t know that he was laying the seeds of a market for his people.

The white man simply identified as Ortese Wanjingi, one of the missionaries who attempted to preach to the Tiv people used to make a routine movement around the areas , from Jato-Aka- Kendev- through Mbakyan to Chief Kuhe Adagi, then District Head of Nanev, then to Mbanienge where he was welcomed by Elders Ataka Dagbera and Dzurgba before going to Upev Adagi in Shangev ya.

After some years of going that way, Ortese Wanjingi advised his hosts to establish a market since he found the place of their meeting strategic. Most of the elders who were called upon to do it became adamant or scared to take up the challenge to establish a market, due to the huge sacrifices that they knew were involved. This was when a great farmer and headhunter in the area, Ihonam Abigwa decided to take up the challenge!

Ihonam market named after the founder is today popular for being the most famous market of chi’ese insects . Chi’ese is an insect of the beetle family, it is called coatman or erroneously as ‘gor-or” by others . It is not every Tiv man that would eat chiese because it is very smelly, but not to Mbanyienge people.

I once visited Ihonam market in 2013 for a facts finding mission and had a chat with the Market Overseer and other village heads in the area.

I went to the place on an Ihonam market day, so it was abit easy for me to get all the elders and most men who know the history. The people gathered to drink, eat and get a lot of their needs. chiese was of course at the centre of the goods!

I spoke to these elders :

Tsawor Aba (the tor Kasua)-73yrs
Samuel Agur -55yrs
Doki M Samuel- 58yrs
Beer Ahambee -43yrs
Iorgee Ingba -59yrs
Zaki Ade -65)yrs

These were the oldest active age grade in Mbanyienge then.

They revealed to me that Nyienge their father started eating Chiese and hence, EVERY Mbanyienge man and woman with all their children, friends, wives, visitors etc following suit. I was given some to eat and I did. I found it rather funny.

They revealed to me also that Mount Mondo (WO Mondo) which is at the back of Mbanienge, produces the best chiese in the world , that lthough chiese have been obtained at Mount Ngokur in Shangev ya and other mountains in Mayegh and Ikov areas of Ushongo local government!

Chiese can only be packed when there is heat and especially during the dry season when the gatherers have easy access to the caves and creavices that the chiese hide in. Chiese don’t love heat. So when the weather is hot, they come out at the entrance of these caves and creavices . The gatherers just pack easily after scrapping.

Like another edible insects , the termites , Chiese is fried thourougly before eating !

How Much does Chiese cost?

Not much…

In 2013, I bought a N50 worth of chiese and wow, it was enough for my informants. What’s more? They were very greatful. Chiese went for as low as N10.

Ihonam market, like most Markets in Tivland comes after every 5 days! Precisely, After Adikpo and Koti Akpera markets in that order.

The market is not far from Adikpo. Motorists charge N100 to Ihonam from Adikpo. The road is quite good.

Do you want a tasty insect for a difference? You now have a choice!