Esan people

Esan people, or Esan, are an ethnic nation in Nigeria, primarily residing in Edo Central Senatorial District, a plateau region approximately 136 meters above sea level. The term Esan refers to both the people, their culture and their language.

Unlike some centralized kingdoms in Nigeria, the Esan people traditionally organized themselves into a loose confederation of 35 independent kingdoms, each governed by its own Onojie (king). This political system bears a striking resemblance to the Ancient Greek city-states (poleis), which, though sharing a common language and culture, operated as sovereign entities with their own rulers and governance structures.

The Esan are traditionally known to be agriculturalists, trado-medical practitioners, mercenary warriors and hunters. They cultivate palm trees, Irvingia gabonensis (erhonhiele), Cherry (Otien), bell pepper (akoh) coconut, betel nut, kola nut, black pear, avocado pear, yams, cocoyam, cassava, maize, fluted pumpkin, rice, beans, groundnut, bananas, oranges, plantains, sugar cane, tomato, potato, okra, pineapple, paw paw, and various vegetables.

The origins of the Esan people are complex, involving multiple waves of migration spanning centuries. Historically, three major waves of migration contributed to the formation of Esanland as it is known today:

1. Autochthonous Esan Migration (Prehistoric Era – c. 500 A.D.)

Some oral traditions and historical research suggest that the earliest settlers in Esanland migrated from the Nok Cultural Zone, located in north-central Nigeria, around the Niger-Benue confluence. This region extends to the southwestern edge of the Jos Plateau and was inhabited as early as 1000 B.C.

These early Esan settlers moved southward and began colonizing the savannah-forest ecotone in present-day Esanland by around 500 A.D., establishing early settlements called Iyala (mini-kingdoms).

2. The Return Migration from Igodomigodo (c. 10th Century A.D.)

A second wave of migration occurred when Esan groups who had previously migrated southward to Igodomigodo (the early Benin Kingdom) returned to Esanland. Among these returnees were the three sons of Ojiso Owodo, the last ruler of the Ojiso dynasty of Igodomigodo. Their mother, Queen Oakha, is said to have led them back to Esanland, where they settled in Uromi, Uzea, and Ekperi before the 10th century.

These returnees integrated with the autochthonous Esan population, forming some of the major Esan kingdoms that still exist today.

3. Migration During the Oba Era (14th Century A.D.)

The third significant wave of migration occurred during the reign of Oba Ewuare I of Benin (c. 1440–1473). During this period, some Esan groups who had previously lived in Benin (Igodomigodo) migrated back to Esanland, escaping the centralization and expansionist policies of the Oba dynasty.

This migration led to the formal establishment of several Esan kingdoms, solidifying their political and cultural independence. Although Esan maintained cultural ties with Benin, they developed their own unique traditions, governance systems, and identity.

There are on the whole 35 established kingdoms in Esanland, including Amahor, Ebelle, Egoro, Ewohimi, Ekekhenlen, Ekpoma, Ekpon, Emu, Ewu, Ewato, Ewosa, Idoa, Ifeku, Igueben, Ilushi, Inyelen, Irrua, Ogwa, Ohordua, Okalo, Okhuesan, Onogholo, Opoji, Oria, Orowa, Uromi, Udo, Ugbegun, Ugboha, Ubiaja, Urhohi, Ugun, Ujiogba, Ukhun, and Uzea.

The Esan Kingdoms often warred among each other. Despite the war, the Esans kept a homogenous culture that was chiefly influenced by the Benin Empire. However, these kingdoms were colonized, along with the Benin Empire, by the British Empire during September 1897, only gaining independence 63 years later in 1960 when Nigeria became independent from British Colonial rule. After independence, the Esan people have suffered from civil war, poverty, and lack of infrastructure.

The Esans primarily speak the Esan language, an Edoid language related to Edo, Urhobo, Owan, Isoko, and Etsako languages. It is considered a regionally important language in Nigeria, and it is taught in primary schools in addition to being broadcast on radio and television. The Esan language is also recognized in the Census of the United Kingdom.

It is estimated that the Esan people who reside in Esanland number about one million to 1.5 million citizens Nigeria, and there is a strong Esan diaspora.