Edda (local government area): History
Most of the autonomous communities of Edda existed as small city states, with each having its own monarch. These communities, made up of about 72 villages today, functioned as a confederation until 1867, when the British colonialists incorporated Edda into the Southern Protectorate, which later became the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. The defunct city states still have monarchs that have no administrative functions, but serve as social and cultural representatives.
Edda was previously known as Akipfo South, a name which was assigned when it was separated from the Afikpo Local Government Area in 1991 by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Successive legislators from the area fought to change the name to Edda, to better reflect the areas heritage and identity.