The Esan (Ishan) People
Description
Esan | |
|---|---|
 Uromi Open Market | |
| Total population | |
| c. 5 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Nigeria | 6,000,000[1] |
| [2] | |
| Languages | |
| Esan and English | |
| Religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Benin, Afemai, Urhobo, Isoko | |
Esan people, or Esans, are an Edoid-speaking ethnic group who share a common culture and the Esan language. 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, rice, beans, groundnut, bananas, oranges, plantains, sugar cane, tomato, potato, okra, pineapple, paw paw, and various vegetables.[3]
The modern Esan nation is believed to have been organized during the 15th century, when citizens, mostly nobles and princess, left the neighbouring Benin Empire for the northeast; there they formed communities and kingdoms called eguares among the aboriginal peoples whom they met there[4] There are on the whole 35 established kingdoms in Esanland, including Amahor, Ebelle, Egoro, Ewohimi, Ekekhenlen, Ekpoma, Ekpon, Emu, Ewu, Ewato, Ewosa, Idoa,[5] Ifeku, Igueben, Ilushi, Inyelen, Irrua, Ogwa, Ohordua, Okalo, Okhuesan, Onogholo, Opoji, Oria, Orowa, Uromi, Udo, Ugbegun, Ugboha, Ubiaja, Urhohi, Ugun, Ujiogba, Ukhun, and Uzea.[6]
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.[7][8] After independence, the Esan people have suffered from civil war, poverty, and lack of infrastructure.[9]
The Esans primarily speak the Esan language, an Edoid language related to Edo, Urhobo, Owan language, Isoko, Anioma and Etsako.[10] 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.[11][12]
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 Esan has been applied to the Esan people for hundreds of years, and was used before contact with Europeans. It is believed by many historians that the name 'Esan' (originally, 'E san fia') owes its origin to Benin (meaning, 'they have fled' or 'they jumped away').[15] 'Ishan' is an Anglicized form of 'Esan', the result of colonial Britain's inability to properly pronounce the name of this ethnic group. It is believed that similar corruption has affected such Esan names as ubh?kh? (now 'obeche' tree), uloko (now 'iroko' tree), Abhulim?n (now 'Aburime'), etc. Efforts have however been made to return to status quo ante.[15]
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), ot? Esan (=Esan land), ?gh?d? 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]
[25] Esanland's culture, language and growth were majorly influenced by the mass exoduses to Esan territory from all adjacent polities[26] Communities on Esanland's southern and eastern fringes (Ewohimi, Ewatto, Ekpon, Amahor) were heavily populated by Igbos and Igalas (into Uroh);[27] from the north came the Emai into Ukhun, Idoa, and Amahor and the Etsako into Irrua);[27] and from the south came the Itsekiri (into Ekpon) and Urhobo (into Ujiogba).[27]
[28] The biggest influence on Esanland came from Edo, founders of Benin Empire. In 1460, Oba Ewuare passed laws of mourning that prohibited sexual intercourse, bathing, drumming, dancing, and cooking. These laws proved too restrictive for many citizens, and these citizens fled the kingdom to Esanland. This exodus shaped Esanland's modern cultural identity and gave rise to the term "Esan," or "refugee." Oral tradition has heavily supported this theory. Prominent Esan and Edo historians have collected stories about this migration.[29][27]
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 Yorubaland, Esanland, and Afenmai. .[32]
[33] During the 16th century, the Uzea War occurred. This war was between the Uromi Kingdom and the Benin Kingdom.[34] 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.[35]
[20] During the nineteenth century, northern Esanland was continually attacked and sacked by the Muslim Nupe people in the hunt for slaves and converts to Islam, having previously taken over the Kukuruku peoples' lands.[36] Many Esan kingdoms from the south helped in the battle to fend off the Nupes. The battles came into the Esans' favor; several Nupe and Etsako warriors were brought into Esan cities where their posterity reside today. The nineteenth century brought increasing influence of Europe on Esanland, as the English demanded palm-products.[37]
Esan warfare and colonization
In 1897, the British launched the Benin Expedition of 1897, which left the Esan independent from the Kingdom of Benin. In 1899, the British led an invasion into the Esan kingdoms that lasted for seven years. Esanland proved to be harder to conquer than the Benin Kingdom because of its strong autonomy: Kingdoms chose to keep fighting the British even if its neighbors capitulated. Defeated Benin chiefs like Ologbosere and Ebohon were still resistant to British rule inadvertently guarded Esan soil from the west, by establishing military outposts and blocking roads.[38] This lasted from 1897 to 22 April 1899, where Ologbosere surrendered at the border village of Okemue.[39]
The first kingdom to b
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