In a 24 November 2004 telephone interview, the president and founder of the Edo Global Organization stated that he is not aware of an Ekperi dialect in the Edo language. Corroborating information could not be found by the Research Directorate within time constraints.

Additional information was found on the Edo language in general. According to information found on the Website of the Language Centre at the University of Cambridge,

Edo is the chief member of a larger group of genetically related languages and dialect clusters, usually referred to as the Edoid group of languages. The main Edo speech community is generally homogeneous and all the different varieties are mutually intelligible (29 Sept. 2004).

The president and founder of the Edo Global Organization stated in 25 November 2004 correspondence that "Edo dialects are very similar. It is easy to understand one another if the individual speaks clearly. There are local slangs that may not be understandable."

Information was also found on the existence of the Ekperi dialect in the Yekhee language spoken in Nigeria (Ethnologue May 2004c; see also Ethnonet n.d.). The Yekhee language has an alternate name, Etsako (Ethnologue May 2004c; Ethnonet n.d.), and reference to the Ekperi dialect of the Etsako language was found (African Music 21 Jan. 2004). The Yekhee language is spoken in "Edo State, Etsako, Agbako and Okpebho [local government areas] LGAs" (Ethnologue May 2004c; see also Online Nigeria n.d.).

Reference to an Ekperi dialect in the Ngwo language of Cameroon was also found on the Ethnologue Website (May 2004b).

The Edo, Yekhee and Ngwo languages are part of the same family of languages referred to as the Niger Congo (ibid. May 2004a; ibid. May 2004b; ibid. May 2004c; see also University of Cambridge 29 Sept. 2004).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

African Music. 21 Jan. 2004. "Discography of Waziri Oshomah." http://biochem.chem.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~endo/EAOshomah.html [Accessed 17 Nov. 2004]

Edo Global Organization. 25 November 2004. Correspondence from President and Founder.

_____. 24 November 2004. Telephone interview with President and Founder.

Ethnologue. May 2004a. "Edo: A Language of Nigeria." http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=EDO [Accessed 24 Nov. 2004]

_____. May 2004b. "Ngwo: A Language of Cameroon." http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=NGN [Accessed 19 Nov. 2004]

_____. May 2004c. "Yekhee: A Language of Nigeria." http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=ETS [Accessed 17 Nov. 2004]

Ethno-Net Database. n.d. "MOST Ethno-net Africa Database: Nigeria." http://www.ethnonet-africa.org/data/nigeria/genpop.htm [Accessed 17 Nov. 2004]

Online Nigeria. n.d. "The Local Government." http://www.onlinenigeria.com/links/LinksReadPrint.asp?blurb=143 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2004]

University of Cambridge, Language Centre. 29 September 2004. "Edo." http://www.langcen.cam.ac.uk/resources/lang-ef/lang_ef.php?c=9 [Accessed 12 Nov. 2004]

The Edo National Association in New Orleans, Louisiana did not respond to a request for information within time constraints.

Internet sites, including: Edo Folks, Edo Nation Online, Ethnologue, Online Nigeria, Phrasebase.