Esan people
Esan | |
---|---|
Traditional African religion 1% | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Benin, Afemai, Urhobo, Isoko |
The Esan people (
The modern Esan nation is believed to have been organized during the 15th century, when citizens, mostly nobles and princess, left the neighbouring
The Esan Kingdoms often warred among each other. Despite the
The Esans primarily speak the
It is estimated that the Esan people who reside in Esanland number about one million to 1.5 million citizens Nigeria,[13] and there is a strong Esan diaspora.[14]
Etymology and identity
The term
For academic purposes, Esan refers to:
- The ethnic group that occupies central Edo State;
- (plural unchanged) A person or the people collectively from this ethnic group;
- The language of these people which, linguistically, is of the Kwa subdivision of the Niger-Congo language[16] family;
- [17] Something of, related to, or having Esan origin e.g. uro Esan (=Esan language), otọ Esan (=Esan land), ọghẹdẹ Esan (=Esan banana).
In the pre-colonial era, Esans carried a crow's foot tribal scar below their eyes.[18]
History
Pre-historical/classical period
According to archaeological and linguistic evidence, humans have resided in the savannah-forest ecotone in Esanland for at least 3000 years ago.[19][20][21]
Starting from 500 CE to 750 CE, these hunter-gatherers started to colonize the savannah-forest ecosystem of Esanland and the forest ecosystem of the Benin Empire.[22] They created a pre-Esan, pre-Edo society that built advanced structures such as moats and walls around family properties. These enclosures were, at maximum, three to five kilometers in diameter, and demarcated residential and agricultural property. Those properties enlarged to become villages, and by 800 CE, these village coalesced to form kingdoms with hierarchies.[23] Modern-day digs in the region have found that these walls were situated in the eastern Benin Empire and northern Esanland. Settlements were close to permanent springs on the northern plateau, but never next to intermittent springs.[24]
Pre-colonization
Esan kingdoms had a varying degree of autonomy, but were ultimately controlled by the Benin Empire. The Oba approved the enijie of Esanland, and Esan kingdoms paid tribute to Benin. Yet, several wars between Esan kingdoms and Benin were recorded. This was due to the Oba, at ascension on the throne, sending white chalk to the Esans as a term of friendship. If the chalk was rejected, then the Oba would try to invade Esanland. The varying political stabilities of Benin and the Esan kingdoms also led to warfare. Such warfare was so common that there is no recorded history of peace between all of the Esan kingdoms and Benin.[30][31]
Esanland was extensively involved in world trade. Benin's sovereignty over Esanland enabled it to send long-distant traders, or ekhen. Ekhen procured cloth, ivory, peppers, and slaves for European merchants in
[33] During the 16th century, the Uzea War occurred. This war was between the Uromi Kingdom and the Benin Kingdom.[citation needed] The war lasted from 1502 to 1503, and resulted from a refusal of friendship from Oba Ozolua of Benin by Onojie Agba of Uromi. The war ended at the town of Uzea, when both leaders were killed. However, in peaceful times Esan kingdoms would loan soldiers to the Benin Kingdom, such as during the Idah War of 1515–1516, and the sacking of Akure in 1823.[34]
Esan warfare and colonization
In 1897, the British launched the
The first kingdom to be attacked by the British was the Kingdom of Ekpon. Ekpon launched a fierce resistance against the British invasion on 22 April, leading to months of skirmishes.[38] After the initial British invasion into the Kingdom of Expon became bogged down, the kingdom of Ekpon led an ambush of the British camp at Okueme, on 29 April. This led British forces to retreat, consolidate their power, and defeat and kill Ologbosere in May. Subsequent attempts by the British failed as well: conquests into Irrua, for example, led to an adoption of a guerrilla warfare strategy followed by a retreat; this method was so successful that other Esan kingdoms adopted it and the British did not invade Esanland until 1901.[30]
On 16 March 1901, the Kingdom of Uromi, headed by the old, yet intelligent Onojie Okolo, was attacked by the British. The Uromi response, led by Prince Okojie, was swift and employed guerrilla warfare. After a short time, British forces captured the village of Amedokhian, where Okolo was stationed, and killed him. This angered Prince Okojie[39] so much that he killed the Captain of the British troops before reinforcements were brought in. The British then realized that Uromi was nigh impenetrable without native help, and contact local sympathizers such as Onokpogua, the Ezomo of Uromi.[40] This succeeded in kidnapping Prince Okojie out of the forest and sending him to the British offices at Calabar.[41]
This process was duplicated in most of the kingdoms that fought with Britain; guerilla warfare was excessively used by the Esans, resulting in prolonged battle time in spite of inferior weapons, and reinforcements from Benin City for the British. Even when villages were captured, internal resistance was fierce; continued guerilla warfare in Uromi forced the British to release Prince Okojie. The British responded by razing several villages they had captured. Finally, in 1906, Esanland submitted to British rule, and the thirty-four kingdoms became the Ishan Division in the British colony of Nigeria.[30]
![The logo of the Esan Voice Association.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Modern-Agogo.jpg/220px-Modern-Agogo.jpg)
Performing arts/music
Esan dance is dominated by the Igbabonelimhin, an acrobatic dance performed mostly by young males. Igbabonelimhin involves spinning and somersaulting to a timed beat. The mode of operation varies amongst Esan villages. This slight clash can be seen on fixed days for performances. Under normal circumstances, Igbabonelimhin is performed every two weeks of the Esan calendar and on the market days of the various villages and towns that make up Esan. Igbabonelimhin could be danced annually to mark end of year celebrations, new yam festivals and organised social functions, like burial ceremonies. Today, the dance is taken as a unique symbol for Esans everywhere.[42]
Notable Esans in Nigeria
- Augustus Aikhomu, Navy Admiral and former military Vice President of Nigeria[43]
- Bendel State and the founder of Bendel State University, later posthumously renamed Ambrose Alli University[44]
- Anthony Anenih, police officer, politician, former Chairman Social Democratic Party, former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, and former Minister of Works and Housing[45]
- Victor Ehikhamenor, artist, writer, and photographer.[46]
- Anthony Enahoro, journalist, politician, former Federal Commissioner, former Chairman NADECO, raised the motion for the independence of Nigeria in 1953 at the age of 30[47]
- Peter Enahoro, journalist, writer, columnist, and author of the book, How to Be a Nigerian.[48]
- Tom Ikimi, architect, politician, former chairman, National Republican Convention and former Minister of Foreign Affairs[49]
- Charles Inojie, Actor, Writer
- Festus Iyayi, writer[50]
- Stella Obasanjo, the First Lady of Nigeria from 1999 until her death[51]
- Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, Cardinal and former Archbishop of Lagos[52]
- Julius Okojie, former executive secretary, National Universities Commission[53]
- Sonny Okosun, musician[54]
- Chris Oyakhilome, evangelist and president of Christ Embassy[55]
- Fidelis Oyakhilome, former Lagos State Police Commissioner and former Governor of Rivers State[56]
- United Nations Human Rights Council[57]
Religion and folklore
Esan folktales and folklore, like the igbabonẹlimhin and akhuẹ, serve as forms of learning and
Traditional Esan religion has many similarities to traditional Edo religion, due to the Esan migration to the northeast during the 15th century from the
- Osanobua, the main Edo-Esan god. This name for God was brought over to Christianity and its missionaries, and thus the translation for God in Esanland is Osanobua.
- Olokun
- Èṣù, wrongly categorized as the Esan trickster god. This god is shared with Yoruba and Edo myth. The name Èṣù was used as a translation for Satan by Christian missionaries. This is also very incorrect and false. Èṣù is not Satan or Devil.
- Osun, the Esan god of medicine. This is where the surname Okosun, or son of medicine, originated from.
Esan Local Government Areas in Edo State
The autonomous clans/kingdoms in Esan land are currently administratively arranged as follows under the current five local government areas:
- Esan-North-EastLGA, Uromi: Uromi and Uzea
- Esan Central LGA, Irrua: Irrua, Ugbegun, Opoji, Ewu, Ebudin
- Esan West LGA, Ekpoma: Ekpoma, Iruekpen, Ihumudumu, Idumebo, Illeh, Idoa, Ogwa, Urohi, Ukhun, Egoro and Ujiogba
- Esan South East LGA, Ubiaja:, Ubiaja, Ewohimi, Emu, Ohordua, Ẹwatto, Okhuesan, Orowa, Ugboha, Oria, Illushi, Onogholo, Inyenlen
- Igueben LGA, Igueben: Igueben, Ebelle, Amaho, Ẹwossa, Udo, Ekpon, Ugun, Okalo,[41]
See also
- Esan language
- Ibore, an ancient city
References
- University of California in Berkeley, Berkeley, October 17, 2012. Retrieved on 1 November 2014.
- ^ [2] National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum, London, 2011. Retrieved on 11 February 2015.
- ^ "AGRICULTURE IN ESAN". Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Aluwong, Jeremiah (4 August 2019). "Ethnic Groups in Nigeria: The Esan People". Connect Nigeria. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ idoasky. "Idoa: Community: Esan: West: Edo: State: Nigeria". Idoa Community, Edo State. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ^ "Ethnic Groups in Nigeria: The Esan People • Connect Nigeria". Connect Nigeria. 4 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
- ISSN 2415-0509.
- ^ "AFRICA | 101 Last Tribes - Esan people". www.101lasttribes.com. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ Golden, Enudi (8 April 2021). "Tribes With The Strongest Juju In Nigeria -History". goldennewsng.com. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- Fulani language [3], U.S. Center for World Mission, Pasadena, 2014. Retrieved on 1 November 2014.
- ^ Unknown. [4], Department for Education , London, 2014. Retrieved on 30 May 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-231-11568-1. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
- University of California in Berkeley, Berkeley, October 17, 2012. The aforementioned population data is contentious because there has not been any acceptable population enumeration regarding tribes in Nigeria. Retrieved on 1 November 2014.
- ^ "Esan group in Diaspora backs APC candidate for Senate". Vanguard News. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ a b "ESAN PEOPLE". Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- OCLC 246526136.
- ISBN 978-1-4051-5418-5.
- ^ Thomas, Northcote Whitridge. Anthropological Report on the Edo-Speaking Peoples of Nigeria (1910). London: Harrison. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-865-43610-7. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ S2CID 236752197.
- hdl:1854/LU-4419255.
- ISBN 978-0-865-43610-7. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-199-56988-5. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ "ESAN GEOGRAPHY". Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ISBN 978-3-486-59757-8.
- ^ Rolle, Nicholas (19 April 2013). Linguistic evidence for heterogeneous origins of modern Esan language and identity (PDF) (Thesis). University of California at Berkeley. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d Rolle 2013.
- S2CID 134802041.
- ^ "Welcome /Obo'khian to the Esan World Congress". Esan World Congress. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ a b c "The Esan People – Ekpoma UK Association". Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ISSN 1556-5068.
- ^ "The Impact of Trade and Commercial Activities in Pre-colonial Esan Economy up to 1900". ResearchGate. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- S2CID 190744811.
- S2CID 55893951.
- ^ Project, African Docs (6 June 2022). "The History Of Esan People Of Nigeria". African Docs. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ "The British Conquest of Benin and the Oba's Return | The Art Institute of Chicago". archive.artic.edu. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
- ^ "Ologbosere". www.edoworld.net. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ISBN 978-0-674-06134-7
- ISBN 978-1-59904-881-9
- ISSN 1596-9487.
- ^ a b "UROMI". Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ Atuegbe, Chris Omigie (14 November 2015). The Igbabonelimhin Dance: The Origin (PDF) (Thesis). Ambrose Alli University. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ "Nigerians react as Admiral Augustus Aikhomu dies @72". Vanguard News. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "'Why Ambrose Alli deserves presidential pardon'". Daily Trust. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Wetin you suppose know about Tony Anenih wey just die". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Victor Ehikhamenor / One of Africa's most innovative contemporary artists". Afrolifestyle. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Chief Anthony Enahoro obituary". the Guardian. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "'Peter Pan' at 80". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Finally, Ikimi leaves APC". TheCable. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Festus Iyayi". www.wikidata.org. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ "Nigerian officials silent over death of first lady". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)". cbcn-ng.org. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Okojie Retires from Public Service". National Universities Commission. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "All about Pastor Chris Oyakhilome: LoveWorld, Christ Embassy Ministry, family, wife Anita, and private jets". Pulse Nigeria. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ Adeolu (6 March 2017). "OYAKHILOME, Fidelis". Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Nigerian ambassador elected to head UN Human Rights Council". UN News. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "ESAN PEOPLE - Ẹ̀bhò Ẹ̀sán". Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ "Uromi: A brief walk into the history, culture and beliefs of the Esan people". Pulse Nigeria. 2 April 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
Further reading
General
- Okojie, Christopher Gbelokoto; Arhuidese, J. E. (2004). Esan Native Laws and Customs: With Ethnological Studies of the Esan People. Ilepeju Press. ISBN 978-9-781-66338-3.
- Esan Magazine (2007). Who Is Who In Esanland. Esan Magazine. ISBN 978-9-783-51147-7.
- Okoduwa, A. I. (2007). Evolution of Esan Politics. Omo-Uwessan Publishers.
- Bradbury, R. E. (2007). Evolution of Esan Politics. Omo-Uwessan Publishers.
- http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00075002/00001/1j
Mythology
- Sidahome, Joseph E. (1964). Stories of the Benin Empire. Oxford University Press, London.
Art
- Professor Ahianba, Joseph Eizielen (2013). The vernacular architecture of Esanland. Ever-Blessed Publishers. ISBN 978-978-936-026-0.
- Lorenz, Carol Ann (1995). Ishan Sculpture: Nigerian Art at a Crossroads of Culture. Columbia University.