Esan Land, Its People and Its Culture

by Honorable Victor Emuakhagbon

The Esans are an ethnic group of Southern Nigerians traditionally known to be agriculturalists, trado-medical practitioners, mercenary warriors and hunters. Their strengths lie in a multitude of different areas, one of them being their adept cultivation ability. Palm trees, cherries, bell peppers, coconuts, kola nuts, avocados, yams, cassavas and rice are among some of the grains, fruits and vegetables spread upon the 1,162 mile (about 2,987.52 kilometers) land the Esan people are skilled in cultivating.

From 500 to 750 AD, the Esan people began to colonize the Savannah Forest ecosystem of Esanland, as well as forest ecosystem of the Benin Empire. They created a pre-Esan, pre-Edo society that built advanced structures (moats and walls, for example) around family properties in order to demarcate residential and agricultural areas. These properties grew to become villages and towns by 800 AD. Not long after, these same areas expanded to form many of the lands largest and most prominent hierarchical kingdoms.

The modern Esan nation is believed to have been organized during the 15th century when citizens (known mostly to have been princes and nobles) that left the neighboring Benin Empire where they formed communities and kingdoms among the land’s aboriginal people. Esanland is a conglomerate of 35 established kingdoms includes Amahor, Ebelle, Ewohimi, Ekpoma, Ekpon, Emu and Uzea, to name a few.

Esan Kingdoms were known to have a varying degree of autonomy, but were ultimately controlled by the Benin Empire during the pre-colonial time. In 1899, the British led an invasion into Esan kingdoms that lasted for seven years. Because of its strong autonomy, Esanland proved to be harder to conquer than the Benin Kingdom.

Esan folklore, like the igbabonelimhin and akhue, serve as forms of learning entertainment. The land’s rulers are famous for enforcing societal order and intertwining beauty and manners. Christianity and traditional practices are popular amongst the Esan people. However, a large percentage the Esan people have become involved in other denominations.

Various dialects (steming mostly from Bini) are spoken amongst the Esan people. There has long been a close affinity between the Esan and Benin people.

The autonomous clans/kingdoms in Esanland are currently administratively arranged under the land’s current five local governmental areas:

1.       Esan-North-East LGA, Uromi: Uromi and Uzea
2.       Esan Central LGA, Irrua: Irrua, Ugbegun, Opoji, Ewu & Ebudin
3.       Esan-West LGA, Ekpoma: Ekpoma, Iruekpen, Idoa, Ogwa, Urohi, Ukhun, Egoro,& Ujiogba
4.       EsanSouth East LGA, Ubiaja: Ubiaja, Ewohimi, Ewatto, Ohordua, Emu, Okhuesan, Orowa, Ugboha, Oria, Illushi, Onogholo & Inyenlen.
5.       Iguebe LGA, Igueben: Igueben, Ebelle, Amahor, Ewossa, Udo, Ekpon, Ugun & Okalo.   
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