As a female custodian of Benin history and culture in diaspora (the initiator of Edo Language Day Worldwide), I assert that the Benin Kingdom is a citadel of culture due to its historical preeminence. The role Benin played in shaping the trajectory of the world in pre and post-colonial eras can never be overemphasized in Black History Month in North America. This consciousness inspired me to officiate February 8th to 15th annually as Benin History Week (BHW) under the Nigerian Canadian Multicultural Centre in Toronto.
The initiation of Benin History Week coincides with the yearly Black History Month in Canada and the United States. Thus, Benin History Week will be celebrated yearly during Black History Month in North America. I encourage all Indigenes of Edo state to join me and the Organizing Committee of Edo Language Day to celebrate the history and colorful cultural heritage of the Benin kingdom, which has survived colonial subjugation for over a century. The affluent Benin culture is a pivot of unity and strength among all Edo sons and daughters worldwide.
The Benin History Week (February 8th to 15th) and Edo Language Day Worldwide (August 13th) will be observed simultaneously in North America, Nigeria, and other parts of the world annually. I initiated these programs to counteract colonial consciousness and revitalize the Edo Indigenous language and culture among Edo Indigenes worldwide. The Edo Language Day initiative is our response to the warning by the United Nations over the extinction of Indigenous languages across the globe. It has been estimated that at least 50 percent of today’s spoken languages will be extinct or seriously endangered by 2100. Edo language is not exempted from the list of Indigenous languages that are gradually becoming extinct. This year’s Edo Language Day event in Canada will take place at OISE Auditorium, University of Toronto, on August 10th, 2024, and the main ceremony will be held virtually via Zoom on August 13th, 2024. We are expecting guests, award recipients, and guest speakers from different parts of the globe to attend the occasion in Toronto this year. All Edo sons and daughters and friends of Edo are invited to participate in this cultural development as we work towards sustaining the Edo Indigenous language and culture worldwide. – Nekpen Obasogie