ELN: Introduction & Mission Statement
The Edo Liberation Network, ELN for short, is a social media advocacy platform designed to promote Edoid nationalism and self-preservation.
The Nigerian State seems to be more divided now than ever before. The outcome of the most recent election has allowed ethnic & religious tensions to resurface again. Nigeria appears to be in a state of limbo. The current system has failed once again and the people are running out of hope. At the ELN, we believe that Nigerians have been looking at their country the wrong way. We believe that many of the problems besetting the country could be solved if we know what our country, Nigeria, actually is.
So what is Nigeria? Is Nigeria a country? A country typically is a occupied territory so yes, Nigeria is a country. Is Nigeria a state? Well the definition of a state refers to the government institutions found in a particular territory so yes, Nigeria is a state. Is Nigeria a nation? The definition of a nation refers to people who have a shared language, culture, history or ancestry. Nigeria doesn’t meet this criteria so Nigeria can’t, by definition, be referred to as a nation. At ELN, we believe that the correct way to see Nigeria is as a multi-national state. Although Nigeria itself isn’t a nation, it’s home to many different nations all organised under one political authority.
We in Nigeria typically refer to these nations as ‘tribes’. The term tribe however is a gross misrepresentation. For example, the Yoruba people are a nation. They are comprised of many sub cultures which are united under the premise of shared language, culture, history and ancestry. The Yorubas in Nigeria occupy a territory of around 100,000 square kilometres, equivalent to South Korea. They also number around 45 million in Nigeria, equivalent to Argentina. The same is true for all the other nations in Nigeria.
These include the Igbos, Ijaws, Efik-Ibibio, Nupe, Hausa, Kanuri, Tiv, Edo etc. However, none of these nations are recognised constitutionally in Nigeria. The constitution acts as if none of these exist and that only a Nigerian nation exists. Well the Nigerian nation itself is non-existent and as a result we, have a problem.
The way Nigeria is structured can not work in a multi-national state like Nigeria where the worldview of some nations are completely divergent from others. Nigeria can only work if the various nations that make up its territory are recognised and are given the ability to fully govern and administer themselves how they seem best fit. Let’s look at the United Kingdom for example. The UK is a multi-national state comprised of four nations, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The latter 3 all have their own national governments were they have large amounts of powers to administer their own affairs. Arguably more powers to administer their own affairs than the states in Nigeria currently do yet Nigeria is meant to be a federation whilst the UK is a unitary state.
At ELN, we believe that the various Edoid Groups which includes the Edo people of the Benin Kingdom, the Urhobos, the Esans, the Etsakos, the Isokos, the Owans and the various people of Akoko-Edo, are one nation. This is based on the premise that all these people groups shared traits linguistically, culturally, ancestrally and historically that they don’t share with the nations that surround them. We believe that the various Edoid people must unite and work together as one nation to strive for fundamental changes to the Nigeria system that allows for the Edo Nation to have more autonomy to govern and rule over itself and it’s affairs. Edo is our home and it’s up to us to build it up to the splendour and glory that it deserves. One Edo, before, now and forever more.
