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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. 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 Ewuare (also Ewuare the Great or Ewuare I) was the Oba (king) of the Benin Empire from 1440 until 1473. Ewuare became king in a violent coup against his brother Uwaifiokun which destroyed much of Benin City. After the war, Ewuare rebuilt much o ...
the Great, c. 1440. "Ubini", a word meaning Vexation, used by Prince Oranmiyan, son of the wealthy ruler of Uhe (Ife) to describe the frustration he encountered after he was invited to rule benin. ''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 giving them coral beads.


History


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. 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 Akoko Edo is a Local Government Area in Edo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Igarra. It has an area of 1,371 km and a population of 262,110 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 312. As of 2016, its population ...
people situated on the state's northern borders. Edo state was formerly part of the
old Bendel state Old or OLD may refer to: Places * Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...
of early post-colonial Nigeria, also known as the
Mid-Western Region, Nigeria The Mid-Western Region was a division of Nigeria from 1963 to 1991, from 1976 being known as the Bendel state. It was formed in June 1963 from Benin and Delta provinces of the Western Region, and its capital was Benin City. It was renamed a pro ...
. This region's influence and culture reflects that of the Edo, Urhobo, Esan and other Edo related peoples.


Dressing

Edo people have fashion accessories typically includes red beads, anklets, raffia work and so on.


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 Osanobua or Osalobua ( Esan: Osenobula, Osenebra) is the name for God in the Edo language.Ezeh, Mary Dorothy, ''Human Trafficking and Prostitution Among Women and Girls of Edo State, Nigeria Possibility of Rehabilitation Through Education and Prev ...
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 Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...
. 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 (),
omniscience Omniscience () is the capacity to know everything. In Hinduism, Sikhism and the Abrahamic religions, this is an attribute of God. In Jainism, omniscience is an attribute that any individual can eventually attain. In Buddhism, there are dif ...
(), and omnipotence (). The Supreme Deity is believed to be present everywhere and at all times.


Art and architecture

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.


Notable Benins in Nigeria

* Ewuare II, 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, writer, sculptor, and musical instrument inventor. *
Peter Odemwingie Peter Osaze Odemwingie (born 15 July 1981) is a retired Nigerian professional footballer who played as a forward and winger. Odemwingie grew up in Uzbekistan and Russia and began his career with Bendel Insurance in the Nigeria Premier League. ...
, professional
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugb ...
. *
Charles Novia Charles Osa Igbinovia (born 20 November 1971), commonly known as Charles Novia, is a Nigerian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, social commentator and essayist. Born and raised in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, Novia is known f ...
, film director, producer, screenwriter,
actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...
and social commentator.african l *
Osayuki Godwin Oshodin Osayuki Godwin Oshodin (9 August 1950 – 29 May 2022) was a vice-chancellor of University of Benin. He was professor of health education and published several journals and books concerning health and education. Oshodin was born in Benin City. ...
, former Vice-chancellor of University of Benin. *
Benson Idahosa Benson Andrew Idahosa (11 September 1938 – 12 March 1998), was a Charismatic Pentecostal preacher. He is the founder of Church of God Mission International, Archbishop Benson Idahosa was popularly referred to as the father of Pentecostalism i ...
, evangelist, and founder of the
Church of God Mission International Church of God Mission International is a Christian denomination from Nigeria. The headquarters is in Benin City, Nigeria, is a megachurch. It was Founded by Benson Idahosa in 1968. See also *Christianity in Nigeria *Nigerian sectarian violence ...
. * Samuel Ogbemudia, politician and former military Governor of the Mid-West State *
John Odigie Oyegun John Odigie Oyegun (born 12 August 1939) is a Nigerian politician who served as the first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria. He was also the Executive Governor of Edo State between 1992 and 1993, during the aborted ...
, politician and first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria * Victor Ikpeba, professional footballer. * Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state (2015 to 2019 under APC, and from 2019 under PDP) and business man *
Gabriel Igbinedion Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion (born 11 September 1934) is a Nigerian businessman and traditional aristocrat from Okada Town in Edo State. He holds the chieftaincy title of the Esama of the Benin Kingdom. Esama of Benin The title ''Esama'' t ...
, Nigeria business man and esama of Benin kingdom. *
Erhabor Emokpae Erhabor Ogieva Emokpae, OON, (9 May 1934 – 16 February 1984) was a renowned Nigerian sculptor, muralist, graphic artist and painter who is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern arts in Nigeria. Some of his notable works include the a br ...
, artists, director *
Mercy Aigbe Mercy Aigbe Hajiya Meena (born 1 January 1978) is a Nigerian actress, director, fashionista and businesswoman. She is best known for her Yoruba indigenous movies. Early life Mercy Aigbe was born on 1 January 1978 in Edo State. to Pa Aigbe a ...
, is a Nigerian actress and filmmaker *
Guosa Guosa is a constructed interlanguage originally created by Alex Igbineweka in 1965. It was designed to be a combination of the indigenous languages of Nigeria and to serve as a lingua franca to West Africa. Linguistic Properties Source Langu ...
Alex Guosa Igbineweka, Guosa Language Evolutionist, Creator: a Nigerian and ECOWAS indigenous zonal lingua-franca *
Abel Guobadia Sir Abel Guobadia OFR (28 June 1932 – 4 February 2011) was an educator, administrator, diplomat and retired public servant. Education Abel Guobadia was born on 28 June 1932, in Benin City, Nigeria. He attended C.M.S. Primary Schools in Benin ...
, former Chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission *
Jane Igharo Jane Abeiyuwa Igharo is a Nigerian fiction writer of contemporary romance novels. She is best known for her debut novel ''Ties That Tether.'' Early life Jane Igharo was born in Nigeria to parents from Edo State and spent most of her childhoo ...
, Nigerian-Canadian writer *Professor
Osasere Orumwense Osasere Orumwense (born June 20, 1954) is a Nigerian academic, author and professor of mechanical engineering. He was the ninth substantive vice-chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or c ...
, Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin *
Suyi Davies Okungbowa Suyi Davies Okungbowa (born Osasuyi Okungbowa in 1989) is a Nigerian fantasy, science fiction and speculative writer and academic. He is the author of The Nameless Republic epic fantasy trilogy, beginning with ''Son of the Storm'' (Orbit, May 202 ...
, African fantasy and speculative fiction author *
Archbishop John Edokpolo John Enoyogiere Edokpolo (9 October 1918 – 17 June 1996) was a Nigerian businessman in the rubber industry and founder of Edokpolo Grammar Schools in Benin City, Nigeria. Edokpolo was also a property developer who created a number of residen ...
, Honourable Minister of Trade and Founder of Edokpolor Grammar School *Chief
Jacob U. Egharevba Chief Jacob U. Egharevba MBE (1893–1981) was a Bini historian and traditional chief whose writings specialized in the history of Benin Kingdom. Life Early life Egharevba was born in Idanre, Ondo State, His father was related to Ohenmwen, Iyase ...
, 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-EdoRoyal 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 {{Authority control Ethnic groups in Nigeria