Edo State

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Lore & Background

Edo State was established on 27 August 1991 when Bendel State was split into Edo and Delta States. The Mid-Western Region, a division of Nigeria, came into being in 1963 from Benin and Delta provinces of the Western Region, with Benin City as its capital. In 1967, the region transmuted into Midwest State, and was renamed Bendel State in 1976. During the Nigerian Civil War, Biafran forces occupied the region and declared it the 'Republic of Benin', but the republic collapsed a day later when Nigerian troops retook Benin City. In 1897, the British Empire conducted a punitive expedition and invasion of the region, destroying most of the ancient city of Edo and incorporating the territory into what would become the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. The Edo people's political organization is expressed in a three-tier age group system that cuts across kin groups, making age rather than lineage the criterion of authority. Benin City itself is organized on the basis of age-grades similar to those of the villages, as well as on the basis of wards and chiefs, both hereditary and non-hereditary, serving the Oba in specialised functions. The Oba is the focal point of the Benin political system, based squarely on divine kingship. The state is predominantly inhabited by Edoid people, including the Edo (or Bini), Esan, Ora, Akoko-Edo, Owan, and Afemai people, among others. Christianity was introduced to the region by Portuguese missionaries during the 15th century, while Islam is dominant in Edo North.

Reader's Guide

Edo State holds significant historical and cultural importance as the successor to the Benin Empire, one of Africa's most renowned pre-colonial kingdoms. The state's capital, Benin City, was the site of the ancient city of Edo, which featured some of the largest earthworks in the world. The British punitive expedition of 1897 destroyed much of the ancient city and incorporated the territory into the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. Today, Edo State is a diverse, cosmopolitan region with a population of over 5 million, comprising multiple ethnic groups and languages. The main ethnic groups are Édo, Etsako, Esan, Owan, and Akoko Edo, with the Edo speaking people constituting 57.54% of the total population. The state produces crude oil and other mineral resources like limestone and quarry, and has a cement factory at Okpella. Tourist attractions include the Emotan Statue in Benin City, Ise Lake and River Niger Beach in Agenebode, and the Okpekpe hills. The state's political system features a governor, a 24-member House of Assembly, and a judiciary headed by a chief judge. Monday Okpebholo is the current governor, sworn into office on 12 November 2024. The electoral system uses a modified two-round system requiring a plurality and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of local government areas.

Did You Know?

• Edo State was created on 27 August 1991 when Bendel State was split into Edo and Delta States.
• Benin City, the state capital, is the fourth largest city in Nigeria and the centre of the country's rubber industry.
• The ancient city of Edo, site of modern-day Benin City, was home to some of the largest earthworks in the world.
• During the Nigerian Civil War, Biafran forces declared the occupied region the 'Republic of Benin', but it collapsed a day later when Nigerian troops retook Benin City.
• The Edo people's political organization uses a three-tier age group system, where age rather than lineage is the criterion of authority.