Introduction

The C'lela language is spoken by 90,000 people living in Nigeria, who call themselves Lela. The ethnologue code is [dri]. Others may sometimes refer to this language as Cala-Cala, Chilala, Chilela, Dakakari, Dakarkari, Dakkarkari, Kolela, or Lalawa.

The specific location of this ethnic group is in the Kebbi state: Zuru, Sakaba, and Donko-Wasagu LGAs; Niger state: Rijau LGA; west Zamfara state: Gummi LGA border area. The classification of the language is Classification Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Kainji, Western, Duka.

There are several dialects of C'lela: Lila (Senchi, Southern Lela, Zuru), Dabai (Central Lela), Ribah, Adoma (Aroma, Northern Lela, Roma, Roma-Na, Yelmo). Some C'lela speakers also use Hausa [hau]. There are some radio programs in the C'lela which help expand the use of the language. Bible portions were done over many years from 1931 to 2005. Some speakers of neighboring languages, Cicipu, Gwamhi-Wuri, and Tsuvadi, also use C'lela.