Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 19, 2026

Cuba language

Cuba (Tsucuba), anglicized as Shuba and also known as Urcibar in neighboring Lopa, is a minor Kainji language of Nigeria, spoken by a thousand people in Kebbi State.

Last revised
Jun 19, 2026
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≈ 1 min
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145 w
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Source
Wikipedia ↗
Cuba
Urcibar
Tsucuba
Native toNigeria
RegionKebbi State
Native speakers
1,000 (2014)1
Language codes
ISO 639-3cbq
Glottologcuba1236
Urcibar
Persondɔ̀tʃíbár
Peopleòːtʃíbár
Languageɘ̀ɹtʃíbár
Rerang
Persondɔ̀ɾìɾã́ŋ
Peopleòːɾìɾã́ŋ
Languageòlːèɾã́ŋ

Cuba (Tsucuba), anglicized as Shuba and also known as Urcibar in neighboring Lopa, is a minor Kainji language of Nigeria, spoken by a thousand people in Kebbi State.

The name Rerang (Oleran) subsumes both Cuba and the closely related Lopa language that surrounds it.23

Blench concludes that Cuba is more closely related to Shen (Laru) than it is to Rop (Lopa).2

Location

Cuba is spoken in the large villages of ò̃tʃébá (Cifamini), tʷò̃tʃíɡí (Gungun Tagwaye) and ò̃sán (Kwanga); and the minor villages of àjũ ́̃m (Yumu), àːʔʲɔ́ (Bakari) and ámbú (Ambu shiri).

References

References

  1. Cuba at Ethnologue (28th ed., 2025) Closed access icon
  2. Blench, Roger (2012). "The Kainji languages of northwestern and central Nigeria" (PDF). Cambridge: Kay Williamson Educational Foundation.
  3. McGill, Stuart. 2012. The Kainji languages. Ms, School of Oriental and African Studies, London, 30 August 2012.