Edo people
An Edo children's cultural assembly | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 10,000,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Edo State | |
| Languages | |
| Edo and English | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Afemai, Esan, Isoko, Urhobo |
The Edo people, also referred to as the Benin people, are an Edoid-speaking ethnic group. They are prominently native to seven southern local government areas of Edo State, Nigeria. They are speakers of the Edo language and are the descendants of the founders of the Benin Kingdom, Ogiso Igodo. They are closely related to other Edoid ethnic groups, such as the Esan, the Etsakọ, the Isoko and Urhobo as well as other southern ethnic groups.
The names Benin and Bini are Portuguese corruptions, ultimately from the word Ubini, which came into use during the reign of Oba (ruler) Ewuare, c. 1440. Ubini is an Edo word meaning 'livable', used by Pa Idu, the progenitor of the Edo state people, to describe the area found as a livable locale during their sojourn from lower Egypt. 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, which the Edo people call 'Ivie'.