Edo , officially known as Edo State , is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of the federal republic of Nigeria. As of , the state was ranked as the 22nd most populous state 5,, in Nigeria. The estimated state population is around 4,, in The modern borders of Edo State [ 11 ] encompass regions that were formerly the site of various empires and kingdoms of the second dynasty formed in the 11th century AD, the Benin Empire.
Islam and traditional religions are also practised. The Mid-Western Region was a division of Nigeria that came into being in In when a new state structure was introduced, the region transmuted into Midwest State, remaining territorially intact.
This nomenclature lasted until the territory was renamed Bendel state in During the Nigerian Civil War , the Biafran forces invaded the new Mid-Western state, en route to Lagos , in an attempt to force a quick end to the war. While under Biafran occupation, the state was declared as the " Republic of Benin " as Nigerian forces were to retake the region.
The Oba is the focal point of the Benin political system and institution is based squarely on that of divine kingship. Edo state has a Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate with yearly temperature of Edo typically receives about With Benin City as capital, the population of the entire state is approximately 5 million. However, the State has a high presence of residents from across the country and the world because of its cosmopolitan tendencies. Benin City has a history of being one of the foremost destinations of Europeans during their exploration of Africa continent many centuries ago.
Some of these flash points have remained enviable tourists' attraction sites for the state. Others are as follows: Esan Edo State consists of eighteen 18 Local Government Areas. They are:. The Judiciary is the third arm of Government in the State, vested with the power to interpret the laws and resolve disputes in both civil and criminal matters in the State.
