In early colonial records Eleme is erroneously called Mbolli by neighbours ibo people. The name came from the slave merchants of Arochuku who used the words "Mbolli Iche" which means "one country that is different" in Ibo language to describe the people of Eleme. When the British colonising force entered Ogoni and Eleme in around April 1898, their escorts introduced the people of Eleme to the British as Mbolli people.<ref>Ngofa O. O. (2006). The Complete History of Eleme. Freedom Press. Ibadan</ref>
Linguistically and ethnographically the Eleme Kingdom is onea of the separatedistinct independentethnic kingdomsgroup in OgoniNigeria. The Eleme language is very distinct, though phonetically sounds like other Ogoni LanguagesLanguage, and this has raised the debate over whether or not Eleme is part of Ogoni. Nevertheless, Eleme is historically,politically represented as one of the 6 kingdoms of Ogoni. <blockquote>''"The inclusion of eleme and, to a lesser extent that of other Ogoni kingdoms, spoken by isolated and distinct clans on the western border as within the Ibibio stock is only proposed tentatively, and the former is chiefly included because of its history with Ogoni." Vol IX, p. 96 <ref>Talbot, Percy Amaury (1926). The Peoples of Southern Nigeria. Vol I - IX. Oxford University Press.</ref>''</blockquote>
