EDO FLAG (DEFINING D MEANING OF EVERY SYMBOL IN IT!)

(1) QUEEN IDIA MASK:

The mask obviously is the head of the Edo
warrior queen-mother Idia, the mother of Oba
Esigie known as the wise King. Recall that Oba
Esigie ruled over the whole of
Bendel, Lagos, half Yoruba lands, Onitsha and
even some parts of today's north central. He
was a great emperor and the first to receive a
diplomatic mission from Europe and also the
first black Ruler to set up an embassy in the
land of the whiteman. He attained these feats
with the help and encouragement of a
mother who is now recorded by local and
foreign history as one of the most dynamic
and strongest women that ever came out of
Africa. Why do you think her mask, not that of
Queen Amina of Zazzau or any other historical
Nigeria woman was adopted by the country
in 1977 as the national symbol in that
international festival of arts and culture? Even
till date, the mask is still used by the country
to project the viability of our culture, the
virility and strength of the nigerian woman.
Idia is the most popular of all the Edo
powerful women on historical record and her
mask dignifies the flag in the same way the
head of queen Elizabeth does the currency of
Britain and many of the English national
monuments.

(2) THE RED COLOUR, first note that we have
the colors in two separate version here. In the
horizontal rectangle and in the three stars. In
the rectangle, it is self explanatory. It signifies
the precious blood shed by our heroes in
building the great empire we are all so proud
of. Surely,  you wouldn't want them to be
forgotten by their descendants who are today
enjoying the peace they gave their lives for.
Also recall that Ghana and Ethiopia have this
red colour in their flag too and for the same
reasons-memory of their fallen heroes. We
can never forget easily the Benin massacre of
1897. A pogron that so much decimated our
population that the Edo people who by the
19th century were the largest nation in West
Africa rain forest is today regarded as a
minority group. As for the stars, it highlights
the beauty of the Edo nation. Rose the king of
flowers (ododo) is red. 3 stars signify the
current people of Benin, Esan and Afemai who
are direct offshoots of the great empire. We
are beautiful and united family, aren't we?

(3) THE GREEN COLOUR.
This simply depict our geography and
vegetation. We are in a rain forest which is
ever green. Mark my words, oil or no oil, Edo
nation can never lack of food because God in
his mercy has been partial in favoring us with
much agrarian gifts and resources. Edo and
Ondo contributed most in the production of
the agricultural wealth that built the old
western region. Cocoa, rubber and palm oil,
we remain número uno.

(4) THE WHITE COLOUR:
White is for peace and we are a very peaceful
people unless we are unreasonably dared. We
should stop using campus cult violence to
define us. Every campus is populated by
people from all ethnic groups in Nigeria not
only Edo people. It is wrong to attribute the
cult activities in AAU and Uniben to only Edo
student. How many Edo persons were
involved in the most violent activities in
Nigeria... Niger Delta Militancy, Maintesina
uprising and Boko haram insurgency? ..nil

(5) THE STATELY SWORD:
Need I explain this. Edo people are the most
royal of all the nations in West African sub-
region nay, the whole of Africa. We have a
royal institution that is as old as the British
monarchy, older than the sefewa dynasty and
outlived the French empire. We are a dignified
race ruled by majestic and honourable kings.
Oba Eweka 1 was not a tyrant like Caesar
Borgia of Rome, Oba Ewuare was not a
homosexual like King James of England and
Oba Ozolua the conqueror was never a
pervert like Napoleon of France.

(7) THE MATCHET:
This has nothing to do with violence but
simply depict our traditional professions. We
were and still largely warriors, hunters and
farmers. So the other sword or rather the
matchet is a tool not an object of negative
violence.

I AM PROUD OF MY EDO NATION AND OUR
CULTURAL HERITAGE.

Credit: Oshodin Ose