Confronting Edo Unity A Serious Case of Intractability
Confronting Edo Unity: A Serious Case Of Intractability by Hilary Odion Evbayiro About a week or so ago, there was a less than cordial argument in the Edo group at the cyber world. ... This particular argument again brought to the fore the issue of who the Edos are and the concomitant problem of Edo unity. ... In short, this is not the first time ethnic matter has taken center stage in the Edo cyber world, but this particular one was every bit different because it involved ethnicization of prostitution, finger pointing, and the more significant matters of Edo import and unity. While the underlying design here is not exactly to objurgate or fault anyone for his or her part in the unnecessary squabble, it is to call attention to the recurring problems or areas of difficulties that have always been the heart of the hobgoblin to Edo unity. There is no doubt that one of the major obstacles to Edo unity is the refusal of some of our people to accept Edo. ... The few ones who accept Edo do so only because they are inhabitants of Edo State. That is a dangerous thinking and does not augur well for our unity. Without fear or favor to anyone, it will be apt to point out that only the Benin people see themselves first as Edo before saying they are Benins, whereas most of our brothers and sisters of Edo North and Edo Central always claim their specific sub-ethnic group first. While history is clear as to who we are, it will not be a manifestation of penchant for irredentism to declare that the Edo people are the descendants of the great Benin Kingdom.