Edo State: Historical Background and Origin of the State Name
Historical Background
Edo State, located in southern Nigeria, derives its name from the Edo people, the indigenous ethnic group who form the majority of its population and have historically inhabited the region.- The name 'Edo' specifically refers to the Edo (also known as Bini) people, whose kingdom, the Benin Empire (or Kingdom of Benin), was a powerful pre-colonial state centered in what is now Benin City, the state capital. The empire flourished from the 13th century onward, renowned for its art, bronze sculptures, and centralized governance under the Oba (king).
Origin of the State Name
- Edo State was officially created on August 27, 1991, by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, as part of Nigeria's state creation exercises to decentralize power and address ethnic diversity.
- It was carved out of the former Bendel State (itself formed in 1976 from the old Mid-Western Region). Bendel was renamed to reflect the ethnic composition: 'Ben' from Benin (Edo heartland) and 'Del' from Delta (the other major area).
- The choice of 'Edo' honored the dominant Edo ethnic identity and the historical Benin Kingdom, distinguishing it from the new Delta State, which took the 'Delta' portion and includes Itsekiri, Urhobo, and Ijaw areas.