Edo people

Edo people

Edo
An Edo children's cultural assembly
Total population
5 Million[1]
Regions with significant populations
The Binis are situated in Seven local government of Edo south which happens to be the most populated senatorial district in the state, They have populated towns like Okada, Ekiadolor, Urhonigbe, Abudu, these four of which the population won't be less than hundred thousand each,They also have other lesser large towns like Usen,Iguobazuwa,Ehor, these three communities not less than fifty thousand each and a host of a number of other smaller communities with about 20,000 in population. There are also some Binis in Delta- The Oza people, Alilehan, Evbosor which is called Alisor by the Ika people with nothing less than 300,000 home and abroad. And Also Because They are a city people because of Their centralized system of monarchy, the People have the largest city in the south south both in landmass and in population with a population of about 2million within Oredo the center of the city, Egor and some Parts of Ikpoba Okha which is Known as Benin city today, then a continuous population of about 1.5 to 2million among towns she has formed conurbation with,like Use, Egor, Ugbiyioko,Utagban,Evboutubu,Oghede,Uholor,Oloku,Ovbiogie,Ekosodin,Ugbowo,Isihor,Eyean,Egbean and a host of others. Edo south as a senatorial district did as high as 1.3 million in voters registration in 2019, bigger than the figures from Ekiti and Bayelsa states which gave out nine hundred thousand each. And there is also a large diasporan population, that diaspora voting was thought of in the 2020 Edo state election. They also have a strong diaspora population Of about 1.5 to two million as they are by far the most travelled minority in Nigeria. It is so easy to spot a Bini outside the country. After the Igbos, and yoruba, the Binis come third as the most travelled Nigerians not far behind the first two despite the population difference between them. There is a sizable population of Binis in Spain,Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Austria,Netherland and a host of others. Niger Delta(Europe)(middle east)Dubai,Qatar, Turkey and other parts of Africa like Ghana,Kenya, And senegal
Languages
Edo language
Religion
Predominantly Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Afemai, Esan, Isoko, Urhobo and Akpes Owan, Uneme,Okpameri,Ososo and a host of others

The Edo or Benin people are an Edoid ethnic group primarily found in Edo State, Southern part of Nigeria. They speak the Edo language and are the descendants of the founders of the Benin Empire. They are closely related to other ethnic groups that speak Edoid languages, such as the Esan, the Afemai, the Isoko,and the Urhobo.^[2]

The name "Benin" (and "Bini") is a Portuguese corruption, ultimately from the word "Ubini", which came into use during the reign of Oba (ruler) Ewuare the Great, c. 1440. "Ubini", an ancient Edo word meaning beautiful people, was used to describe the royal administrative centre or city or capital proper of the kingdom, Edo. Ubini was later corrupted to Bini by the mixed ethnicities living together at the centre; and further corrupted to Benin around 1485 when the Portuguese began trade relations with Oba Ewuare.^[3]

History[]

Location of the Edo homeland (dark green)

in Nigeria (green)

Administrative region[]

Edo people can be found in Nigeria's Edo State which got its name from the primary inhabitants of the region's most notable historical conglomeration, Benin City, which is also the central capital homeland of the Edo people. Edo people also have many related groups in their immediate surroundings also encompassed by the political and administrative borders of Edo state.^[4] Most of these groups have traced their history back to the historical city center off the Benin people, Benin City. Examples of such adjacent groups include various Afemai sub-groups, the Esan people of Edo state and the Akoko Edo people situated on the state's northern borders.^[5]

Edo state was formerly part of the of early post-colonial Nigeria, also known as the Mid-Western Region, Nigeria. This region's influence and culture reflects that of the Edo, Urhobo, Esan and other Edo related peoples.^[6]

Location of Edo state and Benin City in Nigeria

Edo cultural dressing with beaded crowns and outfits

Tunic

Dressing[]

Edo people have one of the best dress cultures on the African continent. Their fashion accessories holds royalty and typically includes red beads, body marks, bangles, anklets, raffia work and so on.^[7]

Traditional beliefs[]

In the traditional religion of the Edo, there exists, besides the human world, an invisible world of supernatural beings acting as interceders for the human world. Offerings are made to them in their respective shrines. Osanobua is the creator and Supreme God. His son/daughter Olokun is ruler of all bodies of water and is responsible for the prosperity and fertility of his/her human followers. Another son Ogun, is the patron god of metalworkers.^[8] The epithet Osanobua Noghodua mean God Almighty. The word Osanobua encompasses a large number of divine principles - including the divine state of being merciful, timeless, goodness, justice, sublimity, and supreme. In the Edo belief system, Osanobua has the divine attributes of omnipresence (orhiole), omniscience (ajoana), and omnipotence (udazi). The Supreme Deity is believed to be present everywhere and at all times.^[9][10]

16th century ivory portrait of Queen Mother Idia

Art and architecture[]

Figure of , an Edo king

Traditional Edo art consists of widely identifiable sculptures, plaques and masks which reflect various spiritual and historical aspects of their cultural traditions. Some of the notable Edo art pieces include the mask of the Queen Mother Idia and a vast collection of historical Edo art pieces called the Benin Bronzes which can be found not only in Nigeria but further dispersed around the world.^[11]

Notable Benins in Nigeria[]

• Ewuare II,^[12][13] the 40th Oba of Benin Kingdom from 2016–present.
• Esther Erediauwa, the first wife of the 39th Oba of Benin kingdom, Oba Erediauwa.
• Victor Uwaifo, musician,^[14][15] writer, sculptor, and musical instrument inventor.
• Peter Odemwingie,^[16] professional footballer.
• Charles Novia, film director,^[17] producer, screenwriter, actor and social commentator.african l
• Osayuki Godwin Oshodin,^[18][19] former Vice-chancellor of University of Benin.
• Benson Idahosa,^[20][21] evangelist, and founder of the Church of God Mission International.
• Samuel Ogbemudia,^[22][23] politician and former military Governor of the Mid-West State
• John Odigie Oyegun,^[24] politician and first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria
• Victor Ikpeba,^[25][26] professional footballer.
• Godwin Obaseki,^[27] governor of Edo state (2015 to 2019 under APC, and from 2019 under PDP) and business man
• Gabriel Igbinedion,^[28] Nigeria business man and esama of Benin kingdom.
• Erhabor Emokpae,^[29] artists, director
• Mercy Aigbe,^[30] is a Nigerian actress and filmmaker
• Guosa Alex Guosa Igbineweka, Guosa Language Evolutionist, Creator: a Nigerian and ECOWAS indigenous zonal lingua-franca
• Abel Guobadia,^[31] former Chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission
• Professor Osasere Orumwense,^[32] Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin
• Suyi Davies Okungbowa,^[33] African fantasy and speculative fiction author
• Archbishop John Edokpolo, Honourable Minister of Trade and Founder of Edokpolor Grammar School
• Chief Jacob U. Egharevba,^[34][35] a Bini historian and traditional chief
• Rema, music artist
• Kamaru Usman, Nigerian mixed martial artist

Icons[]

Ewuare II

See also[]

List of the Ogiso

Kingdom of Benin

Oba of Benin

References[]

External links[]

• Cultural Wars and National Identity - The Saga of the Yoruba and the Bini-Edo
• Bini Names in Nigeria and Georgia
• Edoworld -The origin of Edo/Bini people
• Who are the Edos/Binis?{source Edoworld}
• Nature of God in Edo Religion
• Royal Art of Benin: The Perls Collection, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on the Edo people