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| Kelly Ogbemudia Udebhulu |
It is believed by many historians that the name 'Esan'
(originally, 'E san fia') owes its origin to Bini (meaning, 'they have fled' or
'they jumped away'). '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
ubhẹkhẹ (now 'obeche' tree), uloko (now 'iroko' tree), Abhuluimẹn (now
'Aburime'), etc. Efforts have however been made to return to status quo ante.
For academic purpose, Esan refers to
1.
the ethnic group that
occupies central Edo State;
2.
(plural unchanged)
a person or the people collectively from this ethnic group;
3.
the language of these
people which, linguistically, is of the Kwa subdivision of the Niger-Congo
language family;
4.
something of, related
to, or having Esan origin e.g. uro Esan (=Esan language), otọ Esan (=Esan
land), ọghẹdẹ Esan (=Esan banana).
HISTORY:
A total of thirty four kingdoms (large villages/townships ruled
traditionally by monarchs) make up Esan and many of them seem to have their own
oral versions of the origin of Esan as well as its own starting point in
history. One of the most popular of these is the one advocated by the group
much of which constitutes the now defunct Agbazilo, one of the two former local
government administrative units in Esan.
According to the Agbazilo group, made up mainly of Uromi and Uzea,
Esan came into being when one of the children of Bini’s Queen Oakha and Ojiso
Owodo, Prince Uzia Asokpodudu (Ojiso Owodo’s crown prince and heir apparent)
founded Uzea in about 1188 AD after they fled their father's (the Ojiso's)
palace following the death sentence passed on their mother, Queen Oakha, who
was alleged to have committed adultery with a Bini chief, Ovior. The duo of
Ozogbo and Oigi, Asokpodudu's younger brothers, escaped along with him and the
mother. It is believed that not only did Prince Asokpodudu (the founder of Uzea
Kingdom) escape with the mother, Oakha, relations and some palace servants, he
also left with his father’s (the king's) royal trident, ‘Uziziẹnghain’, the
Ojiso’s heir loom.
The Uziziẹnghain used to be the royal regalia with which the Ojiso
dynasty was founded. Ozogbo later left Asokpodudu in his base in what is today
known as Uzea to found Ẹgbele in present-day Uromi while Oigi went and
establish a settlement with his mother, Oakha, which is today known as Ẹkperi
(outside Esan land). 'Ikhio' is an annual feast celebrated in Uzea in
remembrance of Oakha. While Queen Oakha and her children fled northward of
Bini, Chief Ovior, her alleged lover, fled eastward to a settlement he
established, which is today known as Obior (probably a corruption of 'Ovior'),
near Asaba, Delta State capital.(1)
This is believed by some to be the very beginning of Esan, though
the Irrua group may not readily accede to this historical contention. The very
name 'Esan' was not applied to this people until the arrival of other emigrants
from Bini, who fled Oba Ewuare's brutal reign. The Oba (Bini monarch) had
decreed: "No making of fire to cook; no cleaning of homes; no procreation;
no washing of clothes." Unable to abide by these rules, many natives fled
the Bini Kingdom. When the king sought to know where many of his subjects had
gone, he was told, "Ele san fia" ("They have fled"), thus
giving rise to 'E-san-fia' and later 'Esan'.
In other words, the name Esan was never borne by the earlier group
until the arrival of the later groups. Other groups, such as Ekpoma, left Bini
later to establish bases where they occupy presently. Except some historical
contention to the effect that Esan has always been where they are presently, or
that Bini in fact migrated from Esan to its present abode, Esan in this sense
is a group/tribe of 'fled/jumped away' people from Bini for various reasons and
at different periods in history. Esan largely remains a migrants' settlement
just like the New World. This position has made some historians to argue that
the Agbazilo group, Uromi and Uzea, are a pre-Esan group which has decided to
coexist under the same banner of Esan. It was within this same group, in Uzea,
that Oba Ozolua met his waterloo and was buried in Ugboha's Otokhimhin,
originally called 'Oto-ukhimhin' (the land of Ukhimhin tree). This is the
origin of the popular saying among Esan that "Oba ii de Esan, Ozolua ii ri
Edo" meaning, "A Benin monarch does not visit Esan just as King
Ozolua (of Benin) will not return to Benin."
Geography.
Esan land is bordered to the south by Benin City, to the
south-east by Agbor, to the north and east by Etsako, to the west by River
Niger. From Ewu to Benin City, the State capital, is 100 km long. No
accurate demographic data of the people is available and the various local
governments in Esan appear to lack reliable information in this direction. The
people populate areas such as Uromi, Ewatto, Igueben, Irrua,Ubiaja, Ogwa, Ebele, Ekpoma and Ewu in central Edo
State, South-South Nigeria. It has a flat landscape, lacking in rocks and
mountains, and good for agricultural purpose.
Geographically, Esanland is on a plateau, surrounded by slopes
down to the lower Niger river, the valley and wetland towards Etsako, the
Kukuruku Hills and the plain around Benin city the state capital. The tableland
though reddish-brown in colour, is a fertile land for farming, which is the
main occupation of the Esan people. There is a dense thick forest,
nutritionally rich in economic crops and herbal plants. However, it is
suffering from bush burning, and wood felling for timber and as a major source
of fuel (which is in high demand) for the increasing population of the Esan
people.
Agriculture.
Rubber tree (used for the production of plastic products) and palm
tree rank highest among Esan trees. The land's variety of fruits range from
mango, orange, grape, pineapple, guava, cashew, banana, plantain, black pear,
avocado pear, lime to walnut and even more. Cassava, yam, cocoa yam, sweet
potato, pepper, okra and rice are some of its farm produce. It has numerous
streams that are too small to afford fishing.
Beyond all of the agricultural products listed above are numerous
edble fruits and plants without Englis name. "ORURU" for example,
seems to belong to the berry family. Purple or violet in colour as the specie
maybe, is a very delicious fruit, common at the beginning of the dry season,
which formerly comes up in late September/October yearly, But dew to climate
change,(that is REAL here in Esan) these month are no longer gaurrranteed. A
lot more research work is needed in the areas of available fruits and plants,
animals, inscets, birds etc. in Esanland.
Language.
Main article: Esan language
The various Esan dialects are mutually intelligible. Irrua
dialect, also spoken in Ewu, is used in education.
Military.
During the era of the military, the Esan had between five to six
high-ranking military, naval, and police officers as governors (administrators)
of various states around the country at different occasions, a feat that owed
much to their learning, sociability and especially their loyalty. Chief Tom Ikimi and Chief Anenih have
been known to occupy the position of chairman of two national parties – National Republican Conventionand Social Democratic Party –
respectively.
Politics.
The 14 April 2007 gubernatorial election in Edo State saw the
emergence of Prof. Oserheimen Aigberadion Osunbor from Ekpoma
as the next governor of Nigeria's 22nd largest state. Before the State's
creation on the 27 August 1991, Prof. Ambrose Folorunso Alli had governed
Bendel State (1979–1983), making it the second Esan to govern Edo State. Unlike
the Prof. Ambrose Alli mandate/victory, Prof. Osunbor's is widely believed to
be mired in controversy of widespread irregularities by the ruling party in the
State. Litigation is however on and the new governor has since 29 May 2007 been
sworn in for a four-year term. On 20 March 2008, the Edo State Election
Tribunal declared the former labour leader, Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo
State. Following Prof. Osunbor's appeal, the Appeal Court's verdict of 11
November 2008 finally laid to rest the gubernatorial dispute, as the five-man
panel declared Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole winner and governor of Edo State.
The diminutive but vocal and resilient Etsako indigene was thereafter sworn in
as governor on the 12 November 2008 in a well attended ceremony at the
Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
National holiday.
Esan Day is celebrated at the Tafawa
Balewa square, Lagos every
December. During the occasions names of prominent Esan figures are read to loud
ovation. Esan believe in self-help, thus assisting to reach villages and towns
to achieve development.
Notable Esans in Nigeria.
·
Ambrose Alli, Governor
of Bendel State and
the founder of Ambrose Alli University
·
Anthony Anenih, a
Nigerian politician and former minister of Works and Housing
·
Anthony Enahoro, who
raised the motion for the independence of Nigeria in 1953 at the age of 30
·
Festus Iyayi, writer
·
Stella Obasanjo the First Lady of
Nigeria from 1999
until her death
·
Anthony Olubunmi
Okogie, the Archbishop of Lagos state
·
Sonny Okosun, musician
·
Chris Oyakhilome, an
international renowned evangelist
·
Fidelis
Oyakhilome former
Lagos state Police commissioner and formal governor of Cross river state
·
Religion and
folklore.
Esan
folktales and folklore, like the igbabonẹlimhin and akhuẹ,
serve as forms of learning and entertainment. The Esan have prominent
traditional rulers who keep order in a society where beauty and manners are
intertwined. Despite the long-term impact of Christianity, the Esan are largely
traditional and a large number practice traditional beliefs in the form of
worship of ancestral spirits and other gods. A large percentage of Esan are
Christians, mostly Catholic and recently of other denominations. Esan has
various dialects all of which stem from Bini and there is still close affinity
between the Esan and the Bini,
which leads to the common saying "Esan ii gbi Ẹdo" meaning, Esan does
not harm the Ẹdo (i.e. Bini).
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:
1.
Esan-North-East LGA, Uromi: Uromi, Ubierumu-Oke,
Uzea,Arue
2.
Esan Central LGA, Irrua: Irrua, Ugbegun, Okpoji, Idoa, Ewu
3.
Esan West LGA, Ekpoma: Ekpoma, Iruekpen, Ogwa, Urohi, Ukhun, Egoro
4.
Esan South East LGA, Ubiaja: Ubiaja, Ewohimhin, Emulu, Ohordua, Ẹwatto,
Okhuesan, Orowa, Ugboha, Oria, lllushi, Onogholo
5.
Igueben LGA, Igueben: Igueben, Ebele, Amaho, Ẹwosa, Udo, Ekpon,
Ujorgba, Ugun, Okalo,
Some Esan Proverbs By Herschell Shaka Momodu.
Esan, like many of the tribes south of the
Sahara, is rich in proverbs. ‘Itan’ is the Esan word for proverb (plural:
‘itanh’). Being a polysemous word, ‘itan’ also means insinuation or innuendo.
To differentiate which one is being employed in a speech, the verb that
precedes the Esan noun would always be the deciding factor: “kpa itanh” means
“speak in proverbs”while “fi itan” means “insinuate, make allusion.” This
collection of Esan proverbs is by no means exhaustive, since the use of
proverbs is a common feature among nearly all Esan. When placed beside any of
the proverbs below, the acronym ‘LIT’ means Lost in Translation, which is to
suggest that that particular proverb couldn’t be translated to be true to its
original meaning. For instance, the proverb “Ojie kha la le ọ’ ki zi ọgbọn” is
a short form of“Ojie kha la le ọ’ ki zi ọgbọn ọhle ojie Udakpa da yọ ni Aah
khue alogbo rẹkhanọle.” If translated, it would be “A king’s ascension to the
throne is initially followed with fundamental changes, which was the reason the
king of Udakpa ordered to be escorted with musical instruments.”). Besides
being lengthy, the reader who has little knowledge of Udakpa in South-East Esan
– and the many political changes that have transformed it – will fail to grasp
the message in the proverb. When rendered in Esan language, however, the
proverb offers some literary appeal and reminisces the distant past of that
ancient community. Also, italicized phrases in the English translations are
additional information which is meant to aid easy understanding, especially of
non-Esan and those who aren’t so good at appreciating adages. Where a proverb
has an English equivalent, it is given and preceded with the conjunction ‘Or’
and the abbreviation cf (compare).
Ose ii gba ni usẹnbhokhan. ( A young man's
beauty is never without defects.)
Eji Aah nyẹlẹn ọhle Aah khọ. (People resemble
where they live.)
Udo ni Aah daghe ọ' vade ii degbi ọrhia bhi
ẹlo. (A missile that one sees coming does not blind one.)
Eji ọboh da gui otọ ọhle ọle da horiẹ. (A
native doctor disappears only where he is used to.)
Aah ii ri ebi Aah nanọ bui awa re. (You don’t
tempt a dog with something to lick, since dog is an avid licker.)
Aah gheghe yọ ni olimhin kha mhẹn bhi ẹlo,
ọhle Aah da ri ukpọn bhọ. (Clothing a corpse is simply to beautify it.)
Aah ii fi ini bhi otọ kha khin oha-ọtan. (Do
not go hunting for squirrel while you have an elephant as a catch.)
Aah ii di isira ọnọ khin eni khin ẹkpẹn. Or,
Aah ii khin ẹkpẹn man ọnọ khin eni. (You don’t change to a tiger in the
presence of one who can change to an elephant.)
Amẹn ni ọrhia la muọn ii gbera ọle a. (The
water one would drink can never flow past one.)
Aah ii yi ọbhẹnbhẹn khui ọkhọh. (Do not ask a
mad man to chase fowls away, since he would do it madly.)
Ene wwue bhi uwa kha yyọ ele mmin okpodu, ?bi
ene wwuẹ bhi ole ki da ta yẹ. (What would they say who slept outside if those
who slept inside complained of harassment?)
U’u ii ji Aah gui na. (Death is impervious to
appeal.)
Ẹwa’ẹn Aah rẹ gbi efẹn nọ ribhi ẹkẹ akhe.
(Killing a rat that is holed up inside an earthen pot requires wisdom.)
Ufẹmhẹn si obhokhan kha na, Aah ki yọ owualẹn
kkaniọhle ni ọle. (When the arrow from a child’s bow travels far, an adult is
suspected to be responsible.)
Ọnọ gbi ọnọdeọde ọhle ọnọdeọde viẹ bhi
itolimhin. (In a funeral each mourner mourns the fate that befalls him, not
the deceased’s.)
Ọmọn nọ yyu ọle mhọn ose nẹ. (It is the
deceased child that is always the prettiest.)
Ohu bha lẹn ebialẹn si ọhle. (Fury does not
know its owner’s strength otherwise a weakling’s rage would be tempered
with restraint.)
Agbọn khi ese. (It is human beings that do
disguise as supernatural forces.)
Ọnọ ii ribhi eni, ọle Aah ri enyan si ọle tọn
bhi egbi era’ẹn. (It is the absent one whose yam would always be kept beside
the fire.)
Eto kha rẹ re, Aah yẹ lẹn eji ukẹhae nae. (No
matter how hairy the head becomes, the forehead remains distinct.)
Aah kha yọ ni Aah sikoko, Aah bha yyọ ni Aah
simama. (A call to gather together is not an invitation to muddle together.)
Aah kha khin ẹkpẹn fo, ebi Aah khiẹn ki fo.
(After changing to a tiger, you simply have no other thing to change to.)
Aah kuẹ ri ikhilẹn khin ẹgua’e ọba, ọba kuẹ
nyẹn uge. (The king need not tiptoe in order to peep at a dance coming to be
staged at his palace.)
Ọni Aah bbhobholo ii bhobhi ọrhia. (The one
who is carried on one’s back cannot back someone else.)
Oẹ ọkpọkpa Aah zẹ bhi okọ-ẹdin. (In a palm oil
dish, you take one step at a time.)
Irẹlobhegbe zzẹ ni ọkhọ bha da lli afiamhẹnh.
(But for forbearance, the chicken would have taken into eating birds.)
Ose ba ni emiamhẹn. (Beauty is more painful
than infirmity.)
Ọnabhughe ọ’ min olimhin ni Aah ri izagan mun.
(It is the truant that comes in contact with a corpse wrapped in basket.)
Aah ii ri ẹbhe ni oruan ọrhia rẹmhọn. (To
ensure a lasting relationship, do not offer a goat to your in-law for
safe-keeping.)
Aah kha kha gbi ugan bhi evele, Aah ki ri
ukpọn bhọre. (If it is being debated, a man should undress to counter claims
that he is suffering from penile bloat.)
Ebi Aah bha mmin Eboh, Aah bha rruẹn
ebeh-ọghẹdẹ. (Prior to the arrival of Europeans, no one wore banana leaves, but
clothes.)
Ẹnyẹn ni otuan ọkpa miẹn ọhle khi ubhiọ. (It
is the serpent seen by a single person that is called a lizard.)
Uhọmhọn na ji ikọ ọ’ ii gbi ikọ. (An envoy
isn’t punished for the message he conveys.)
Ọkhin ẹkpẹn ii khin eni. (He does not change
to a tiger one who changes to an elephant. Or, Everyone has an area where he is
talented.)
Aah kha rui ẹlo, Aah ki kha ri ẹwua’ẹn khian.
(Blindness demands caution. Or, When one is blind, one learns to walk with
care.)
Afiabhẹn ni Aah ri igẹnh si ọhle lui emhin,
ẹjẹje Aah min ọhle ele. (The bird whose feathers are treasured must walk
circumspectly.)
Ebe bha ji ọrhia rẹ lẹn egbe, ọhle ọrhia da
tẹ. (Disgrace is sure to come from that over which one cannot exercise self-control.)
Ebe yi okhuo zẹ bhi ileghe re, akun ọ’ ye.
(That which compels a woman to reduce her waist beads lies in her waist.)
Ọ’ ii yi ọta ni ekhẹnh ta yi ẹki, ọ’ ii yi
ọhle ele ta vae. (Traders’ subject of discussion to the market differs from
their homeward discussion.)
Ọ’ ii yi ẹdẹ ni Aah muin ure ọ’ ii yi ẹdẹni
Aah riọhle zọ ese. (It is not the same day a snail is found that it is offered
as sacrifice to an idol.)
Eji Aah tan sẹ, ọhle Aah da ji uhọmhọn. (A
person’s head must grow where his height stops.) nearly LIT
Ure kha lo bhi ẹbọ, ọ’ ki khin ẹbọ. (When a
snail inhabits a shrine, it becomes an idol.)
Ọsakọn Aah lẹlẹ, Aah ii lẹli ọmeto. (It is the
dentist that can be tricked, not the hairdresser.)
Odin ii talọ, ọta ri ọle bhi unu. (Although
speechless, the mute has something to say.)
Ojie ii gbo yọ ni Aah ri ojie tọ bhi itikun.
(A king never asks a king to be buried in a refuse site.)
Okhuẹlẹn nẹko kpe. (A grass-cutter’s plumpness
is achieved in hiding.)
Ẹmhọn ri ọdan ba bhi egbe, ọhle rri ikpea do
bhi omin. (LIT)
Ọbo ii bọ bhi ebi ọle lẹ’ẹn. (A native doctor
doesn’t consult his oracle concerning that which he knows.)
‘Nine’ bha jji Ebo llu. (Despite his
ingenuity, the white man could not create the number nine.) nearly LIT
Elamhẹn n’ọ ii mhọn akọn, ọhle ki odalo bhi
ishi oyi. (It is the toothless beast that is always the first arrival at the
orchard.)
Usẹn bi usẹn ko yi egbe ‘halo’. (It is age
mates that greet each other with ‘hello’.)
Ẹdebe ọhle Aah rẹ ye ọkha’e re. (A hero is
often remembered on a bad day.)
Ọ’ ii yi ọnọ ka kha khọmhọn ka yu. (The first
person to fall sick is not always the one to die first.)
Ọbo kha wuo ni ọbo, ọ’ ki ri ọbo khuọn ẹkpa.
(LIT)
Ogun bi ogun kha min egbe, ughamhan ele rẹ tui
egbe. (When blacksmiths meet, both salute each other with iron.)
Aah kha kha viẹ, Aah yẹ daghe. (Even in tears,
it is not impossible to see.)
Ẹghe ni Aah bha rẹ llẹn ẹlo ikpakpa, ọhle
ikpakpa ki rẹ ggbi ọrhia. (Men only died oftoxin beans when they
lacked knowledge of the food.)
Okhuo ii yi okhuo biẹre khi ọmọn fui ọlle bhọ.
(A woman doesn’t ask a fellow woman to put to bed that she herself is
childless.)
Ẹruẹ ii yi ẹruẹ ọyabhihue. (English version:
‘A kettle does not call a kettle black.’)
Ebi Aah miẹn ofẹn ii muin uki, ?bi ọhle ii da
bha ọsi adamhẹn. (If not for fear, why doesn’t the moon shine in the daytime?)
Ẹlo ọriọbhe bhia’e, ọle ii rẹ daghe. (Although
he has good eyesight, a stranger doesn’t see with his eyes.)
Ọnọ rẹre, ọle Aah da ọle obọ. (It is the
generous person that would always be approached for assistance.)
Ọriọbhe giẹrẹn lumhin eman, ọle bha lẹn eji
Aah ri ubhokọ gọ. (Although a stranger pounds pounded yam well, he lacks
knowledge of where to keep the pestle.)
Aah ii ri emhin ni ọkhian re mhọ’ẹn. (You
don’t give something to a traveller to keep.)
Ẹdẹ ni okhuo rẹ nyin eman ebe, ẹdẹni ọlle rẹ
le nẹ. (It is on the day a woman cooks a bad meal that she eats best.)
Elamhẹn ọbhebhe ii ni isọn emẹdin ebeiyi
uriẹi. (Except porcupine, no other animal has palm waste in its
excreta.)
U’u bha gbi iban, ọhle di khin ẹdin. (The
flower of a palm tree will eventually become palm nuts if death spares it.)
Oghian ọrhia zẹ ni u’u da ba bhi egbe. (It is
one’s enemy that makes death hurtful.)
Obhokhan kha ni isọn ebe, Aah ki ri ebe
ugbolimhosaka gbo ọle uwedin a. (If a child defecates repulsive excreta, the
leaf of a spiky plant will be used to wipe his buttocks.)
Aah kha kha gbi ugba, ọtẹtẹh rie. (At the
repeated shaking of the calabash, insects find their way out.)
Aah bha min ebi Aah khin ọkhọmhọn yẹ, Aah ki
zaghiọle era’ẹn a. (If because of his illness you can’t hurt a
sick person, you can at least extinguish the fire that keeps him warm.)
Aah bha min ebi Aah khin ojie yẹ, Aah ki si ọle
bhiẹbho re. (If because of his power you can’t challenge a
king, you should quit his kingdom. Or, cf. ‘If you live in Rome, do not strive
with the Pope.’)
Ẹghe ni Aah rẹ llui ẹmhọn, Aah rria ọhle a.
(The time spent on lawsuit is time wasted.)
Aah kha ri egbe yi isi ojie, ọshọ folo. (When
people take themselves to the king’s palace for lawsuit, they cease to be
friends.)
?Ji uzo ki ri aho ọ ni ọhle da rẹ bi iweva.
(From where has antelope got the strength to give birth to twins?)
Ukpokpo ni Aah rẹ ggbi ẹwobi, Aah bha refia,
Aah ki rẹ gbi ọbhata. (The whip that was used on a stupid person, if it is not
disposed of, will be used on an innocent.)
Aah ii min ebe khi ọkhọ ebeiyi akhokholẹ.
(Nothing resembles a chicken as does a bush fowl.)
Ese kha la zi emhin, ẹkẹn-ọkhọ ki va udo a.
(When supernatural forces are at work, it is not impossible for a hen’s egg to
crack a stone.)
Ebe ka llui ọkhọ di yẹ lui ẹbhe. (A goat will
by no means escape the fate of a chicken as long as feasts last.)
Ọkpọkpa Aah gbe ni okhọ’ẹn da lọ. (A war is
sustained till the end by gradual killingrather than by outright
annihilation. Or, cf. English version: ‘Rome was not built in a day’ or
‘One thing at a time.’)
Aah ii dunu bhi igbanaka. (LIT)
?Ji ehọ ni Aah la rẹ họn, ọhle Aah nẹ emhin
na. (The very fact that certain things are offensive to the ear is the reason
they are considered taboos.)
Ojie kha la le, ọ’ ki zi ọgbọn re. (A king’s
ascension to the throne is initially followed with fundamental changes.)
?Bi Aah la le ẹlẹna, ?bi Aah la le akha, ọhle
ukhumhun rẹ fo. (The question of today’s meal and tomorrow’s provision is how a
famine abates.)
Aah ii ri afe nani umhẹn. (You don’t start
licking salt simply because you are wealthy.)
Aah ii nọ ọnọ mhọn igho bi ọle la dẹ. (You
don’t ask the moneyed man what he will buy with his money.)
Ẹsọn ka ggbi enefe. (The rich once suffered
hardship.)
Ẹbọ kha kha to, ọhle mhọn ohẹn si ọhle. (No
matter how austere an idol is, it has its priest who pacifies it.)
Ọkaleteh ii kpọ. (Heroes are hard to find.)
Ughe ughulu da ho ukhuọ ọhle ni Aah kha yọ ghe
khiẹkẹ ọhle mun ni ọhle. (That hawk makes love to its wife in the open sky is
to debunk rumours that it impregnated her out of wedlock.)
Aah ii ri ugbele si Akogho loli ugbele. (LIT)
Uhẹn-ẹlẹ zẹ ni Aah ii da nẹ bhi ẹki. (Don’t
defecate in a marketplace because it will be there for you to see on the
next market day. Or, cf. English version: ‘The evil that men do lives after
them.’)
Ẹwa’ẹn Aah rẹ gbi udia nọ timan bhi ikpẹkẹn.
(Killing a tsetse fly that perches on one’s scrotum demands wisdom.)
Uhọmhọn ni Aah bha ji obhokhan ele, ọhle kha
gbi ache bi uwawa bhọ, ọhle ki ha osa. (A child must pay for the destruction of
items that results from carrying out a task that was never assigned to him.)
Uzehia kha zẹ bhi eji obọ ii sẹ, Aah ki yi
ọhle lala a. (If one has boil in a part of the skin beyond reach, the boil is
advised to rot.)
Aah ii gẹn ọmọn bhi isira ọle. (Don’t sing
praise of a child in his presence.)
Emhinh erebhe ne ribhi omhọn ti egbele itata.
(Every ingredient in soup likes to be seen as meat.)
Ọ’ ii yi ẹlo ni Aah rẹ lie man, ọ’ ii yi ọhle
Aah rẹkha elamhẹn. (The attitude with which food is eaten differs from that
with which meat is shared amongst the eaters.)
Ese kha la zi emhin, omhọn ni inodẹ ki oto obọ
a. (It becomes possible today for yesterday’s soup to burn
one’s hand once supernatural forces are at work.)
Ọ’ ii yi ẹlo ivin ivin rẹ ni udẹn. (A palm
kernel would never produce palm ointment unless under the searing heat
of the pot.)
Aah ii ni ọnọ wuẹle gbi ugan si ebhohiẹ. (You
don’t argue about a dream with its dreamer.)
Ọbhẹbhẹn yyọ ghe khi ena ọle rri era’ẹn fiọ,
ghe ọnọto khian ni ọle bha lẹn ẹlo bhọ. (A mad man only knows of the spot where
he dropped fire but cannot account for the offshoot ravaging the forest.)
Aah kha rẹkhan ẹkpẹn khian, Aah ki li elamhẹn;
Aah kha rẹkhan ẹbhe khian, Aah ki li ebeh. (A companion of tiger will feed on
meat but a companion of goat will eat leaves.)
Ebale kha sike ebgi unu gbe, ọ’ ii ji Aah le.
(Food that is too close to the mouth is difficult to eat.)
Ọba ii de Esan, Ọzọloa ii ri Ẹdo. (No Benin
monarch visits Esan land, just as Ọba Ọzọloawho was slain in Esan will
never return to Benin.)
Ọgbihiagha bhi uhọmhọn nain ọka yyọ ghe ọhle
lẹn otu si ọhle. (The dreadlocked maize insists it knows its age mates.)
Evẹkpẹn kha vi ẹkpẹn fo, Ibhioba ki bi ebeh. (The
people of Ibhioba clear the leaves after the butchers of tiger are
done.) nearly LIT
Eni ediọn kha le, enai ẹlimhin ki khọn. (When
the elders eat, the spirits are full.)
Ọnọ ii mhọn ọmọn ii mhọn oruan. (The one who
has no child cannot have an in-law.)
Ọnọ ri ebeh bin uwa kha dia khẹ efi. (He who
builds a house with leaves should expect the storm.)
Aah gbudu yi ọba ‘họ’ọ’! (Even the king can be
reprimanded.)
Ebi Aah gbe bha yu, Aah ii mun bhi ẹkpa.
(Until the animal you are killing is dead you don’t put it in
a sack.)
Ebi Aah ko ta, ọhle khi ẹmhọn ni inẹdeso.
(What was discussed earlier is what can be cited as a previous discussion.)
Aah ii tti egbe emhin, ọhle enele da tto uwa
a. (That the house was gutted by palm waste was due to disregard for
something.)
Ẹdẹ ii tughu ọ’ bha sẹn. (A river must become
crystal-clear after being upset.)
Ijan ọkpa ọmọle feọ n’ọ da hu. (If a man’s
urine must foam, he must urinate on one spot. Or, cf. English version: ‘A
rolling stone gathers no moss.’)
Aah bha min ebe re n’ọ ii fo. (There’s nothing
without an end. Or, Whatever is in vogue ultimately expires.)
Ukpọn ni ahoho sabọ, ọhle ọ’ re bhi ifi. (The
wind only picks the dress that it can take off the rope.)
Ebe ii yi emhin ọhle ho alo. (It is the
insignificant thing that struggles over the forefront.)
Ọnọ mhọn ivie bhi uru bha lẹn si ọ’ ghanmhin.
(He who has a gold necklace round his neck does not know its worth.)
Etin kha di oya, Aah ki ri abọ eveva fi ọhle.
(When a blow becomes a challenge, the two hands will be used to apply the
blow.)
Osẹ ko eran ni ọnọ ii mhọn uze. (It is God who
provides firewood for the one who has no axe.)
Ebe ba bhi egbe ii ni ara’ẹn re. (A painful
experience does not necessarily bring out blood.)
Ohuẹ ii tie bi ọle miẹn bhi ikhẹeran. (A
hunter never discloses the happenings in his hunting expedition.)
Omhọn n’ọ mhẹn bhi unu ii si eman. (Delicious
soup is often inadequate for a meal.)
Ẹbho ni Aah ii da min ahiẹlẹkpẹnh ọhle ọkhọh
da lui mama. (It is in the land where there are no hawks that chickens have
leverage.)
Aah ii tọni egbe bi eji egbe rẹ tọnọ. (Do not
scratch your skin just the way it itches you.)
Unẹ bha sẹ khin unẹ ọhle okhuo da ri obọ muin
inyẹ’ẹnh mhọ’ẹn. (A woman holds tight to her breasts only when a race has not
assumed seriousness.)
Aah ii walan si u’u bhọ. (Man is senseless
before death.)
Ese ii muin ẹdẹ. (No amount of trouble can
prevent daybreak.)
Source: The Illustrated Dictionary of Esan Language
(unpublished), by Iseribhor Okhueleigbe
Linguistics and Esan Language
Esan is one of the numerous languages of the Kwa subdivision of the Niger-Congo language family, one of Africa's largest subgroups. Unlike English, Esan is a tone language (like many of its neighbouring settlements) not unlike Chinese. Dictionaries and grammar texts of the Esan language are being produced, which may help the Esan appreciate their written language. There is a high level of illiteracy among the Esan, and a large number of dialects, including Ẹkpoma, Ẹkpọn and Ohordua. Most annual Esan Kings' Council meetings are largely conducted in English for this reason.
Linguistic finding has shown the word ‘gbe’ to have the highest number of usages in Esan, with up to 76 different meanings in a normal dictionary. Names starting with the prefixes Ọsẹ; Ẹhi, Ẹhiz or Ẹhis; and Okoh (for male), Ọmọn (for female) are the commonest in Esan: Ẹhizọkhae,Ẹhizojie, Ẹhinọmẹn, Ẹhimanre, Ẹhizẹle, Ẹhimẹn, Ẹhikhayimẹntor, Ẹhikhayimẹnle,Ẹhijantor, etc; Ọsẹmundiamẹn, Ọsẹmhẹngbe, etc; Okosun , Okojie, Okodugha, Okoemu, Okouromi, Okougbo, Okoepkẹn, Okoror, Okouruwa, etc. To any Oko-, 'Ọm-'the suffix of the name can be added to arrive of the female version e.g.Ọmosun, Ọmuromi, etc.
Nouns
All Esan nouns begin with vowel letters (i.e. a, e, ẹ, i, o,ọ, u): aru, eko, ẹbho, itohan, ozẹ, ọrhia, uze, etc. Due to the influence of neighbouring tongues and Western languages, especially English, there is the tendency among Esan to pronounce many non-Esan nouns beginning with a consonant letter. In the event of such within the boundary of Esan write-up, an apostrophe may be employed before the first consonant letter both to Esanize and ease the pronunciation. In speech however such apostrophe is often pronounced as ‘i’ /i:/: ’bazaar, ’Jonah, ’labour, ’zoo, etc.
Each Esan noun ends in either a vowel letter (e.g. ato, Ẹkpoma, uri, oya) or the vowel-associated letter ‘n’: agbọn,eran, ẹnyẹn, itọn, isẹn, etc. Exception to this rule is the writing of proper nouns where a name can end in letter ‘r’ always after a letter ‘ọ’ to make it sound like ‘or’ in English as well as the use of letter ‘h’ after a letter ‘o’ to make it sound as‘oh’ in English: Isibor, Oko'ror, Okoh, Okoọboh, etc.
In nouns, following the first vowel letter is always a second consonant letter: ahoho, avan, ilo, udia. For the expression of a feminine gender, the second consonant letter following a vowel letter is doubled: ahhihi (=female ant), ọsshọ (=female friend), ọrrhia (=female person), etc. This gender-sensitive style is better understood by French speakers, who usually differentiate genders – masculine, feminine, neuter. Exception to this rule has to do with certain nouns that consist of vowel letters only e.g. 'oẹ' (leg, plural 'ae'), 'oo' (mother), 'uu' (death), etc.
Pluralization in Esan is of two forms, the first of which has to do with nouns that have original plural forms, in which case the first letter is replaced/displaced by another letter:
ọmọn (baby), imọn (babies); ọmọle (man, male), imọle (men, males); okpea (man), ikpea (men); okhuo (woman, female), ikhuo (women, females); ọshọ, ọmuọe (friend), ishọ,imuọe (friends); obhio (relation), ibhio (relations); obhokhan (child), ibhokhan (children); oghian (enemy), ighian (enemies); usẹnbhokhan (boy), isẹnbhokhan (boys); ọmamhẹn, ọmọhin (girl), imamhẹn, imọhin (girls); ọwanlẹn (elder, adult), iwanlẹn (elders, adults); ọrhia (person), erhia (persons); ọbo (doctor), ebo (doctors); Ebo (English citizen), Ibo (English citizens); obọ(arm), abọ (arms); oẹ (leg), ae (legs); use (nail), ise (nails); udo (stone), ido (stones)
The second has to do, not with the above which have original plural form but, with a large number of other nouns which do not. In this case, a suffix (as the use of 's' in English) is used by adding it to the noun in question, but without a change in pronunciation. For example:
uwaebe (school), uwaebeh (schools); eran (stick), eranh (sticks); emhin (something), emhinh (some things)
Sentence order
The use of Esan is open to three orders or arrangements: (subject-verb-object (SVO), object-subject-verb (OSV), and object-verb-subject (OVS)) to express themselves Okoh ’h gbi ele (SVO). Okoh imẹn ddaghe (OSV). Ena yẹ imẹn (OVS). SVO is commonest and most employed. The use of OVS is restricted to a limited number of grammatical constructions.
Verbs
All Esan verbs start with consonant letters and end in either vowel letter or the vowel associated letter ‘n’: bi, dẹ, fan, hẹn, lolo, etc. In expressing the past, doubling of initial letter of a verb takes place such that ‘bi’ changes to ‘bbi’ and ‘hẹn’ becomes ‘hhẹn’. A verb can also begin with a diphthong: khian, gbe, bhanbhan. The formation of past tense in this case is not different: kkhian, ggbe, etc. Some Esan dialect such as Uzea makes use of ‘ah’ (or ’h) to show present participle (as in “He is going home.”). Although this is absent in majority of Esan dialects, it is used and placed before the main verb when writing: Ele ’h khọa = They’re having bath.
Adjectives
An Esan adjective, as does an English adjective, modifies a noun or pronoun. That is, it gives more information about a noun or pronoun and makes its meaning more specific. It can appear before or after a noun. The only difference between Esan and English adjectives is that like Japanese, some Esan adjectives are verb-like in that they inflect to show tenses: Ele mhẹnmhin. = They are good. // Ele mmhẹnmhin. = They were good. The doubling of the initial letter of the adjective 'mhẹnmhin (good)' like verbs, clearly demonstrates this point. Esan adjectives are of two distinct types:‘word adjective’ and ‘phrasal adjective’.
Word adjective.
A word adjective is an adjective consisting of a single word: esi, khọlọ, hu, jian, etc. This form of adjective is subdivided into five types: pre-noun adjective, post-noun adjective, numeral adjective, nounal adjective, and restricted adjective. A pre-noun adjective appears only before the noun it modifies, provides information about the noun’s size and/or quantity, and they start with a vowel letter: ukpomin, ekitui, udede, ikwẹkwi, etc. These adjectives are not subject to the law of tenses and do not take the suffix ‘mhin’. A post-noun adjective comes immediately after the noun it modifies: khọlọ, khọriọn, fuọ, ba, to, han, lẹnlẹn, bhihi, hu, khisin, khere, re(le) (far), re (deep), re (grown up), re (well attended), bue, tan, etc. These adjectives are subject to the law of tenses such that they are used to reflect time (e.g. “Okoh rẹ kkhọriọn.” = "Okoh is ugly.").
Except the adjective ‘khọriọn’, all others can be used with the suffix ‘mhin’, and (‘ebe’ and ‘esi’ which are also called noun adjectives) they all start with consonant letters. A numeral adjective is one that can be used to answer such question as “how many?”: ọkpa, eva, ea, igbe, etc. Because they are also nouns, they all start with vowel letters. They are neither subject to the law of tenses nor can they be used with the suffix‘mhin’. A nounal or noun adjective is one that comes before a noun and can easily be manipulated to become a noun in usage: esi, ebe. It can neither be used with‘mhin’ nor are they subject to tense law. A restricted adjective is one that can only be used with a particular noun e.g. ‘bhibhi’ in 'ewewẹ bhibhi' (early morning).
Some adjectives that can be placed under the word adjective are adjectives that are formed from the doubling of a word adjective: fanọn-fanọn (unkempt; untidy), rughu-rughu or ragha-ragha (disorderly), sankan-sankan (muddy and rough), yagha-yagha (untidy), kpadi-kpadi (rough or even), ose-ose (beautiful). This system can also be used thus: fanọn/2, yagha/2, kpadi/2, sankan/2, ose/2, etc.
Phrasal adjective.
A phrasal adjective is one that consists of more than one word; it is made up of a phrase. More often than not, an adjectival phrase usually contains either a noun + verb or an adjective+preposition+noun which combine to perform the work of an adjective. Some common examples are: rui ẹlo (blind), yi ehọ (deaf, rebellious), di ọmalẹn (old, senile), di itọn a (wretched), bhọn ose (beautiful), fi ahiẹ a (serene), fua amẹn (light-complexioned), ba bhi egbe (painful), mhẹn bhi egbe (body-friendly), mhẹn bhi unu (sweet), mhẹn bhi ẹlo (beautiful or not offensive to sight), mhẹn bhi ihue (not offensive to the nose), mhẹn bhi ehọ (not offensive to the ear), khọ bhi unu (unpalatable; offensive), khọ bhi egbe (unbearable), etc.
Below are some Esan adjectives and their meanings (and those that can be used with the suffix ‘mhin’ are shown.The addition of the suffix 'mhin' to a word turns it from adjective to noun just as the suffix 'ness' in english does.) Ukpomin (little), ekitui (many; much), udede (big), ikwẹkwi (tiny; trivial), khisin-mhin (small; diminutive), khere-mhin (small; little), hu-mhin (big; foamy), khuẹlẹ-mhin (slim), re-mhin (far; deep; well attended; grown up), dia-mhin (straight; appropriate), bhala-mhin (light-complexioned), bhia-mhin (large, spacious), riẹriẹ-mhin (smooth), rẹrẹ-mhin (restless), kpoloa (smooth), gọ-mhin (crooked) kpono-mhin (slippery), kwọn (slippery; slimy), to-mhin (irritating), kpọ-mhin (widespread), khia-mhin (holy, righteous), fu-mhin (peaceful), bhiẹlẹ-mhin (lazy), fa-mhin (dirt-free, clean), lẹ-mhin (scarce), tua-mhin (quick), zaza-mhin (skilful), sun-mhin (slimy), kholo (spherical), hian-mhin (efficacious; alcoholic), nwun-mhin or mun-mhin (sharp; alcoholic), khọlọ-mhin (bad; painful), sẹ-ẹ (ordinary), nọghọ-mhin (difficult), kpataki (real), lo-mhin (inexpensive; deep), khua-mhin (heavy; hot), tọnọ-mhin (itchy), luẹn (ripe), khekhea (sour), riala-mhin (bitter), fua-mhin (white), bhihi-mhin (black; dark-complexioned), kẹnkẹn-mhin (multicoloured), kọnkọn (fat), kaka-mhin (hard; serious), toto-mhin (serious; taut), ghan-mhin (costly), ghantoa (costly), wualan-mhin (wise), sọnọ-mhin (offensive), lẹkhẹ-mhin (soft), khẹrẹ-khẹrẹ (muddy), gban-a (expansive), tan-mhin (tall; elegant), guẹguẹ (ingratiating), mhẹn-mhin (good), lẹnlẹn-mhin (sweet), zeze-mhin (strong), wo-mhin (powerful; mature), bie (cooked or done), fe-mhin (wealthy); fanọn-fanọn (unkempt; untidy), rughu-rughu or ragha-ragha (disorderly), sankan-sankan (muddy and rough), yagha-yagha (untidy); rui ẹlo (blind), yi ehọ (deaf, rebellious), di ọmalẹn (old, senile), di itọn a (wretched), bhọn ose (beautiful), fi ahiẹ a (serene), fua amẹn (light-complexioned), ba bhi egbe (painful), mhẹn bhi egbe (body-friendly), mhẹn bhi unu (sweet), mhẹn bhi ẹlo (beautiful or not offensive to sight), mhẹn bhi ihue (not offensive to the nose), mhẹn bhi ehọ (not offensive to the ear), khọ bhi unu (unpalatable; offensive), khọ bhi egbe (unbearable), etc.
Determiners
‘ọni’in Esan is equivalent to ‘the’ (as singular) in English: ọni emhin = the thing
‘eni’in Esan is equivalent to ‘the’ (as plural) in English: eni emhinh = the things
‘ni’in Esan is equivalent to ‘that’ in English: emhin ni or ọni emhin ni
‘na’in Esan is equivalent to ‘this’ in English: emhin na or ọni emhin na
In the determiner phrases below, the determiners are in boldface:
‘ukpi’(pl. ‘ikpi’) in Esan is equivalent to the indefinite article ‘a’/‘an’ in English:
ukpiẹmhin = a thing
ikpi emhinh = ... things
‘ọsoso’(pl. ‘esoso’) in Esan is equivalent to ‘any’ in English:
emhinọsoso = any thing
emhinh esoso any things
‘eso’/ayso/ in Esan is equivalent to ‘some’ in English:
emhinh eso = some things
‘ikpeta’in Esan is equivalent to ‘few’ in English:
ikpeta emhinh = few things
‘nekirẹla’in Esan is equivalent to ‘whoever’/‘whichever’ in English:
emhin nekirẹla = whatever thing
‘erebhe’in Esan is equivalent to ‘all’ in English:
emhin erebhe = all things
‘eveva’in Esan is equivalent to ‘both’ in English:
Emhinh eveva = both things
‘ekitui’in Esan is equivalent to ‘many’ in English:
ekitui emhinh = many things
Paternoster (The Lord's Prayer)
OTUẸSI EBIALẸN IMAN
(ERA IMAN NỌ RIBHI OKHUN)
Era iman nọ ribhi Okhun,
ji elin uwẹ khin ebi Aah gẹn,
ni ejele sẹ vae,
ni Aah lu bhi otọ na bi eji Aah lu bhi Okhun.
Rẹebale ni iman la le ẹlẹna ni iman le.
Ri olukhọ si iman humhin iman
bi eji iman rẹ rẹhumhin ene lui iman khọlọ.
Kha ii ji iman deọ bhi edọmhẹn –
himhin iman sibhi ebeimhẹn re.
[Ọsẹkhi ọni ejele, ọni ahu bi ọni oriri-ejele dabhi eji Aah
ye na rẹ sẹ bhi ẹdẹdẹmhẹndẹ.]
Isẹ.
OUR LORD’S PRAYER
(OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN)
Our Father in Heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in Heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
[For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for
ever] Esan Not An Ethnic Group But Benin(Edo)
...By Uwagboe Ogieva.
27 May 2011
“The Ancient Benin(Edo)s were one in origin, yet they are one in diversity http://ihuanedo.ning.com/video/edo-one-in-origin"
Base on current trend of some Esan politician, scholars and Nigerian pseudo writers with the motive to separate and disorganise the Edo people of Nigeria with the continuation of weakening the ever respected Kingdom of Benin (Edo) (Nation), Southern Nigeria, it becomes imperative to educate the gullible and less informed researchers of the truth fact of history. Again, proper education of true facts of Edos common history, ancestry, language, culture and tradition will not only unite them but help build the mental preparedness for their future national growth and development. Reading through the author on Esan people of Nigeria on WIKIPEDIA, few points were highlighted, (1) that Esan is one of the major ethnic groups in Edo State, South-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria. (2) that they existed on there present location pre-Benin influence. (3) that Oba Ozolua was kill and buried in Esanland (4) that Esan people are the ancestral parents of the benins. While the author have some eloquent facts made of lazy research and incomplete oral history, it is good to note that all of above claims are false and should be written off or ameliorated, or be deleted from one of the most respect and acceptable internet dictionary:WIKIPEDIA. This paper have attempted to answer most pressing question on how the Esan people are not other ethnic group but Benin. What makes up a nation is a shared common values, culture, language, tradtion, religion and teritorial boundaries.
ORIGIN :
According to James B. Webster and Onaiwu.W.Ogbomo in Chronological Problem in C.G. Okojies Esan Narrative Traditions, Esan traditions, all the ancestors of the people, royal commoner alike came from Benin(Edo) and are basically Benin(Edo) people. Itua Egbor, S.J on African Proverb of the Month, stated that the Esan originated from the Benins (the Edo-speaking people of the ancient Benin Kingdom) and a schism in the distant past resulted in the migration and resettlement of the Esan people in their present geographical location. Dr.Jim Akhere on a keynote address at the ENA convention, head in Hilton Seatle Airport and Conference Center, Seatle. Washington. 2007, said, Esan people exodus was mainly jumping into forest and finding their way throuh the bush to where they are today. While some writers are relating to Egharevba and Okojies books, that Esan has always been where they are presently, or that Benin in fact migrated from Esan to their present abode is not only a distorted history but a deliberate attempt to create a separate kingdom and Nation out of the already shrink and encroached Edoland. Jethro Ibileke on his recent article raise a clarion also calling to the Benin(Edo)s who would want to usurp Esan position as the speaker of the Edo state house of Assembly, to remember that the history of Esan traditional relationship and the linage are deep rooted in Benin. He went further to explain that suppressing Esan people would be like a father fighting his son.
The Benin - Uzea war account, have it that Oba Ozolua (1481-1504 CE). , left his son call Ugan to be the Enojie of Uromi, After the war. The people of Uzea/Uromi were happy and welcomed his reunion peace plan to bringing the people of Uromi/Uzea [early emigrants from Benin, during Ogiso and Ewuare strong rule] back again to their ancestral lordship of the Benin Kingdom. Ozolua invasion of Uromi/Uzea was to bring them under control of the Benin kingdom. Ozolua, was a predicted king makers before he became king, aggressive and war-like in nature, Oba Ozolua reintroduced the process of first son succeeding to the throne, with Dukedoms carved out for the other princes. The older of his two remaining sons, after he had lost two sons to the slave trade, was Osawe, who was named the Edaiken (Oba-in-waiting). Idubor, the junior to Osawe, was appointed the Duke of Udo, the home town of Oba Ozolua’s mother, and the second largest and most important town in the kingdom at the time. Idubor, known as Arhuanran n’Udo (the giant of Udo), was not happy about playing second fiddle to his senior brother, Prince Osawe. In a feud between him and a powerful mystic called Elekighidi of Ogbelaka quarters, he enticed Elekighidi’s wife, Eyowo, to betray her husband and then married her after his triumph over Elekighidi. Then Oba Ozolua beheaded Eyowo out of fear that she could betray him too in future. The Portuguese made strong efforts to convert Oba Ozolua to Christianity with preachments. He had no respect for white gods and deities and even for the Portuguese items of trade, which were being offered to build close links between the kingdom and Portugal. He was, however, impressed with their guns, a weapon strange to warfare in the West African region at that time. Oba Ozolua introduced bronze casting to Benin. He did it through Iguehae, a great bronze caster, whose descendants have continued the tradition through the guild of bronze casters at the present day Igun Street in Benin City. While Oba Ozolua was on his way back to Benin after the war at Uromi/Uzea, he was ambush and killed by some ungrateful radicals, who disagreed with his policies.
Again, Looking at the Agbazilo group account, the Esan came into being when one of the children of Benin’s Queen Oakha and Ojiso Owodo, Prince Uzia Asokpodudu (Ojiso Owodo’s crown prince and heir apparent) founded Uzea in about 1188 AD after they fled their father's (the Ojiso's) palace following the death sentence passed on their mother, Queen Oakha, who was alleged to have committed adultery with a Benin chief, Ovior. The duo of Ozogbo and Oigi, Asokpodudu's younger brothers, escaped along with him and the mother. It is believed that not only did Prince Asokpodudu (the founder of Uzea clan) escape with the mother, Oakha, relations and some palace servants, he also left with his father’s (the king's) royal trident, ‘Uziziẹnghain’, the Ojiso’s heir loom. Here, the Agbazilo group still comfirming that the Esan mother of creation is and was a Benin mother.
Oba Akenzuwa Nironorho 11 once said that Emotan is the mother of Esan people. In other words without Emotan who helped Prince Ogun to regain the Edo throne and was crowned Oba Ewuare N'Ogidigan there wouldn't have been no Esan today. Notably, Oba Ewuare the great, during his time, enacted laws that was unbearable to some Edos which led to emigration in the core of the Empire. Most settlers, know as Esan today migrated to their present location during the time. The greetings of the Esan ancestors who left the benin couldn't have been lagiesan-La Ogiesan before Oba Ewuare because there was no Esan before Ewuare as presented by Nosakhare Idubor. According to Ademola Iyi Eweka, the Ishans/Esans were the most avid defender of the Edo(Benin) monarchy and their women have produced most of Obas of Benin. Eheniuan, the first Ezomo of Benin, who later became the commander of the Benin/Edo Royal army is of Ishan descent.
Esan history is a branch or part of Benin(Edo) history, an integral fellowship of the Benin monarch. Her tale is like the story of an extended son from a very large family, who have travelled far from home married and had own family with a different name. This also brings to mind how it relate with the African Americans history and Africa. Though some dispute they are not Africans inspite of the obvious history of trans-atlantic slave trade, many still trace their ancestral lineage to West Africa including the Great Benin Empire. Larry Uklai Johnson-Redd in his book: Journey to Motherland, From Sant fransisco to Benin City, explained the experience of enslaved Africans to the America and how his ancestral parents hail from Benin.
Rulership, Tradition and Culture:
What is represented as the Esan monarch are not monarch or separate kingdom per ser, as the Benin(Edo) monarch but dukedoms. This also extends among many villages and towns across territories of the Great Benin(Edo) Empire, Geographically touching South-South, South-East, South – West and South – East. To this day the Esan chiefs and traditional rulers, the Enogies(Enogie is the Esan title for a king), sometimes called kings of the Esan people are crowned by the Oba, the supreme head or king of the Benin Empire. The Onojie of Uromi and the Onojie of Irrua are direct sons of the Oba of Benin
Prof. Iyi Ademola Eweka on his Irrua and Evbohinmwin Relations to Benin-Edoland of Nigeria, explained that the people of Irrua are not only from benin but Benins. Irrua (Iruwa), he said, was named after the Benin princess who married the first Enogie of Irrua, with the people of Evbohimwin belonging to the Ishan/Esan clan, of the (Benin)Edo-speaking group. In the last hundred years, the Enogie of Irrua suddenly became the leader of Enigies in Ishan/Esan land. Whenever the Ishan/Esans are gathered, the Irrua man would normally demand the right to break the almighty kola nuts, but not without a fight from other Ishans/Esans and the reason for this phenomenon can be broken into these parts: a) Although the dukedom of Evbohimwin is probably the oldest, it has always been a haven for Edo princes fleeing from the oba of Benin after a protracted succession struggle. It was also a sort of military out post. Everybody wanted the control of military outposts of Orhodua and Evbohimwin to be in their hands. Obanosa was the Oba of Benin, 1804-1816. When he died, his two eldest sons, Princes Ogbebor and Erediauwa slugged it out for the throne. Prince Ogbebor won and Prince Erediauwa ran to Evbohimwin for safety. His mother was an Ishan/Esan woman from Evbohimwin. Prince Ogbebor, now the Oba of Benin, tried desperately to dislodge Erediauwa from Evbohimwin. He sent messegers to Ishan/Esan, loaded with coral beads and money, to encourage the Enigies in Ishan/Esan to turn over Prince Erediuwa to him or have his head brought to him in a box. Unfortunately, the supporters of Prince Erediauwa waylaid the messegers to Ishan/Esan, killed many of them and carted way the loot to Prince Erediauwa. Prince Erediauwa now distributed the loot to the Enigies in Ishan/Esan begging for their support and protection. In the ensuing civil war, the army of Oba Ogbebor was defeated. He killed himself, after blowing the palace to pieces with gun powder. He reigned for only eight months. Prince Erediauwa marched into Benin City, ahead of an Ishan/Esan dominated military. He was crowned Oba Osemwende of Benin in 1816. It was Oba Osewende who granted to the Enogie of Uromi, the right to inherit the estate of any person who died childless within Uromi district.This was his reward for supplying men and material in the war to reconquer Akure in 1818-20 rebellion and the battle in defence of the Ekitis against the Ibadans. b) During his reign, he noticed there was an intrigue, to prevent his senior son nicknamed " Ogbewekon," from ascending the throne when he passes on. Prince Ogbewekon and Odin-ovba who later became known as Oba Adolor were born on the same day. Prince Ogbewekon was born first but reported last to the palace. Oba Osemwende found out that Prince Ogbewekon´s mother had been misled by the Edo chiefs at Ogbe quarter in Benin City, tired of Ishan/Esan (Queens) mothers of Obas. Added to that, was the intrigue of Princess AGHAYUBINI, the most senior daughter of Oba Osemwende., the mother of the Osulas and Aiwerioghenes of Benin. She had become very wealthy by trading with the Itsekhiris. This is the popular Itsekhiri factor in the Benin Royal family. When Oba Osemwende passed on, Ogbewekon bypassed and Odin-ovba installed as Oba Adolor, there was another civil disturbance. Prince Ogbewekon ran first to Evbohimwin and finally settled at Igueben were he raised an army with which he wanted to invade Benin City. From his hide out at Igueben, he made life uncomfortable for Oba Adolor in Ishan/Esan land. The Enogie of Evbohimwin was also involved. The Amaho uprising of 1853/54 in Ishan/Esan land, had Prince Ogbewekon signature all over it. It was General Ebohon of Ova, the same general who stopped Ogedengbe of Ilesha at Irhuekpen, who put down the uprising with alot of bloodshed. c) When Oba Adolor passed on, Oba Ovonramwen was installed as the Oba of Benin in 1888, but not without a fight from his brother, Prince Orokhoro. Prince Orokhoro lost and ran first to Evbohimwin and then to Orhodua in Ishan/Esan land. His mother was also an Ishan/Esan. He was busy raising an army in Ishan/Esan when the British army struck in 1897. These were some of the factors responsible for the defeat of the Benin army by the British army in 1897 .
To punish Evbohimwin and the Enogie for supporting rebellious Edo Princes, Erhumwunse (Eromosele), the Enogie of Irrua, the son of Enogie Isidahome 1, the son of Enogie Ogbeide, who commited suicide for ordering the death of a pregnant woman between 1830 and 1847, was made Okaegiesan by Oba Ovonramwen in 1895. He was given ADA, the Sword of Office. He therefore became Ogie ada. This elevated him far and beyond the Enogie of Evbohimwin. The people of Irrua and Uromi down to Ekpoma were so involved in th 1897 war, that when Enogie Eromosele of Irrua visited Benin City in 1917, after the restoration of the monarchy, he was received with pomp and pegeantry in Benin City by Oba Eweka 11 and the chiefs. His son and successor Enogie Momodu was always at Benin palace. Enogie Isidahomhen who succeded Eromosele , followed his father´s footstep. He too was always at the palace. He actually stayed and studied Native Administration under Oba Akenzua 11. Oka-Egiesan of Ishan/Esanland, occupies the position of Primos inter pares in a gathering of the Ishan Enigies. It is also important to note that Oba Osemwende , whose mother was an Evbohimwin lady, had given Odia, the Enogie of Evbohimwin an Odigba-a bearded neck collar of Edo nobility. He also gave him two flint-lock guns, which can still be seen at Evbohimwin today. Those guns are fired ceremonially once a year When Oba Ovonramwen made the Enogie of Irrua Oka-Egiesan, he virtually took seniority from Evbohimwin and gave it to the people of Irrua for loyal service to the Edo nation, as they saw it then. This is why the people of Irrua would always demand that, they break the Kola nut whenever the Ishans/Esans are gathered. but, but and but, Evbohimwin has been fighting back, to regain its lost position and will continue for sometime”
LANGUAGE RELATIVE:
Esan people are Benin(Edo)s. It is true that the word or name 'Esan' (originally, 'E san fia') owes its origin to Benin (meaning, 'they have fled' or 'they jumped away'). 'Ishan' is an Anglicized form of 'Esan', the result of colonial Britain's inability to properly pronounce the name of this people, who had a slight different in turn and pronunciation from the Central Benin. With this it is clear the name Esan was never borne by any earlier group pre-Benin. The orthographic composition of Esan dialect are or were taken from the Benin(Edo) alphabets and double consonants a b d e ẹ f g gb gh h i k kh kp l m mw n o ọ p r rh rr s t u v vb w y z [as published by Ministry of Education, Benin; entitled Report of the Seminar on Edo Orthography 1974] except few of its double consonant, like bh and mh. Many words in Esan grammar are same with Benin. Esan speak Benin(Edo) language but with little different in ascent and some grammatical compositions.
Reason for slight difference perheps, may have been, lack of a structured and standardized language institution and documentation of the Benin language in early history of the great Benin Empire. Understandable, language variations wasn't a problem as chiefs and traditional leader including the king's subjects could communicate perfectly. The lack of a developed common (Benin)Edo language at least by writing during the early history of Great Benin(Edo) brought lots of today confusion and mistaken identity among many nations that were part of the Benin(Edo) ancestral lineage. Brothers of same father or mother are now enemies or strangers because, for over decades apart with children born and grown outside Benin(Edo) territories, inter-marriage with other ethnic nationalities, travelling abroad, use of foreign language [English in the case of Nigeria as national language] , Many have now eventually find or see the central Benin(Edo) City, people and language as distance or probably other nationality in his entity. Sad but true some scholars and politicians are standing on this ground to break or separate a civilization that have thrived for centuries and scores of years.
Africa today wasn't how it was in pre-colonial times. Cheik Anta Diop did some justice to that reality in his book Pre-colonial Africa. Others like Dr. John Henry Clarke, Moleku Asante, Naiwu Osahon, Prof. Iyi Eweka and Patrick Edobor Igbinovia also presented a clarified version on Africa and Edo history. Slavery, colonialism, Western cultures, religion, language and education have had a great impact on what is now known today as Africa and Nigeria. Uyilawa Usanlele of the institute of Benin studies, on his paper “Colonial States and Education: Benin Division 1897-1959” shared some light on the devastative effect and marginalization of the colonial administrative rule on the Benin people, education, land and politics. And despite all attempts to undermine it, the ancient city’s winning card today is the monarchy as that has survived for centuries upon centuries. “A democratic monarchy, whose monarchy depends on mystique and the tribal chief in his hut” quoted- David Attenborough, an eminent anthropologist, {Commenting once on why the privacy of the British monarchy should not be intruded upon by way of unnecessary publicity} by Mike Jimoh on his paper “Benin and its Mystique”.
The Great Benin(Edo) complex of cultural and linguistic connection and relations abound in Esan, Igbankes, ika, ekpeye, afemai, urhobo, itsekiri, degema, isoko, ghotuo, epie, okpe, delta ibos and part of Yoruba. Great Benin Civilization touched far and wide many southern states of Nigeria. Their common values and linguistic relations in dialects around the Edoid group of language, including the Esan or Ishan (being the closest ) makes their strong connection and affirmation obvious. In fact, the words “Edoid” directly related to “Benin language”. The lack of a common language among the edoid nation is one of major reason, some Esan now doubting their direct origin from Benin. And the lack thereof, if actions are not taken to save the Benin(Edoid) language [which belong to the esan as well] from extinction, will result to more separation or dialect erupting in near future [i.e. if not totally colonize by external language like English or more dominant ethnic language]. And in-spite of brave works of some Edo linguistics, like Agheisi, Alex Igbineweka, Uyilawa Usuanlele: institute of Benin Studies, Naiwu Osahon, Eguaevoen, Ehimwenma Aimiuwu, director Edo folks.com, Tina Iyare and organisations like Umagbae, Edo leadership Assembly, Benin National Congress of Nigeria(BNCN), more works, books and lectures need be encourage on Benin(Edo) language.
LAND AND TERRITORIES:
Here, Prince Ena Eweka narrative of the Esan land better explained their direct descendant from Benin. See extract:
Ekekhen: The story of this place started during the war years (i.e. Oba Ewuare, 1440-1473; Oba Ozolua, 1483-1504; Oba Esigie, 150401550 and Oba Orogbua, 1550-1578). When a group of traders moved out of the metropolitan city of Benin to found settlements probably on the war front to sell their wares to Benin soldiers. At that time, there was a large garrison od Benin warriors settled at Igueben from where they prosecuted the Idah war of 1515-1516. As a matter of fact, the trade route to the far north and towards Idoma area had to be kept opened in spite of the war and Ekekhen provided the answer then. As time went on, many of those in the out-lying villages like Emu, Uromi, Ogboha, Oria, and Irhue who either had grievances in the various villages or who found lucrative trade with the Benin soldiers, moved into the new settlement to establish their permanent homes. By the time of Oba Ahenzae, 1641-1661, Ekekhen had grown to a position of an independent village. It was at this Oba Ahenzae accorded it full recognition which enabled its people establish their corporate ancestral staff (Ukhure Edion) now housed at the village shrine.
Ekekhen is a typical village in Ishan area which has nearly everything the metropolitan Benin City has. Its festivals are the same as what you have in Benin City. Such festivals like Eho, Igue, Ewere are common features. Ekpo dance (masquerade) is performed in the like manner as you have in Benin City areas. Culturally, they left no stone untouched. Their family greetings which identify all Benin people with their family roots are common phenomenon in Ehekhen. Thus, many people in this village maintain their family greetings such as Lagiesan (which belongs to Ezomo family), Labo (commonly associated with Idunmwebo -Royal physicians and diviners), and Lavbieze (associated with Iyase family; this particular family greeting originated from Iyase N’Obodoiken who came to Benin from the Eze-Chima in and around Obbior area in Delta State). Of the prominent leaders remembered in the settlement of this village are such people like Osa, Emokhua, Ogbeide N’Emamwen and Odukpaye. At present, Ekekhen has really grown out of a mere village to become a suburban settlement. We now have three quarters, viz: Ukpogo, Odeze, and Ukpo constituting the modern Ehekhen. The paramount head of this town is the Odionwere who is in charge of the ancestral shrine.
Uromi: The people of Uromi came originally from Benin.Both their language and culture are based on that of Benin.Their Einigie owe their origin to Benin.It is said their united in their allegiance to the Enogie,their head Chief,whose family is reported to have come from Uzia, a village on the Ishan-Kukuruku boundary though the title was bestowed by the Oba of Benin.Like any other Ishan area,Uromi's Chieftaincy system have the usual Ekhaemwen(or what the Ishans call Ekhaemo)or chief as distinct from the Enogie who is the supreme head of the clan and direct representative of the Oba in the area.Normally,such a person derived his ultimate authority from his over-lord who was the Oba of Benin.
Ewohimi: Traditional history indicates that Ewohimi was founded by three sons of the Oba of Benin.The names of these people are given as Alah,oron and Oisa...The first name Anan or Alah may have been derived from Benin word Avan(meaning daylight)The second Oron may well be the Benin word Oron(meaning world hereafter)while the last name Oisa may be the benin word Ei-hiosa(meaning You cannot decieve God). originally the early founders of Ewohimi hailed from Uzebu,the home of Ezomo.Ewohimi ancestors were the true and indisputable replica of Benin culture throughout Esanland.In Ewohimi clan which originally consisted of Ewohimi,Ewatto and Ewossa,one finds women kneeling down in the morning to give the morning"salutation of Lajiesan,the salutation of Ezomo of Benin. Evbohimwin, from what we know , is probably the oldest Dukedom in Ishan/Esan land. The Enogieship of Evbohimwin is a descendant of one of the Ogiso of Edo history.
Ubiaja: This town traces it's origin to Benin.It is closely linked to Udo.it is said that the first Enijie of Ubiaja and Udo were brothers born of the same Benin parents.Traditionally,the Oba's sanction is required for any heir in Ubiaja to succeed.The founder of Ubiaja or Ubiaza as the Benins call them was Edeikholo who came from Udo-Arhuanran near Benin.This man was a treasurer to the Oba.He stole the treasures -hence the expression Ogbu Ubi Aza(committed the crime looting treasury);from which the expression we derived Ubiaza
Reading through account of Prince Ena Eweka on Ekehen, Ewohimi, Ubiaja, Uromi, and Prof. Ademola Iyi Eweka on Irrua and Evbohimwin relation to Benin, it is therefore obvious to note that The Esan clan of Benin (Edoild race) is not a separate ethnic group but Benin.
Esan People of Edo State
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References
S. Okhueleigbe, The History of Uzea Kingdom (2) A. Aimienwalan, Esan Vision magazine, Esan Students' Association of Nigeria, 1990 (3) C. Okojie, Customs and Tradition of Esan People
This history was not written by us but was compiled from multiple sources including:
Egharevba, J.U. 1968. A Short History of Benin. Ibadan: I.U.P.
Eweka, E.B. 1992. Evolution of Benin Chieftaincy Title. Benin City: Uniben. Press.
Okoduwa, Anthony. 2006. “Tenacity of Gerontocracy in Nigeria: An Example of the Esan People in Edo State.”
Okojie, C.G. 1960. Ishan Native Laws and Customs. Lagos-Nigeria: John Okwessa Publishers.
Omokhodian, J.O. 1998, The Sociology of the Esans. Tropical Publication Ltd. Ojeremen, Stephen. 2007. “Esan Youth Rebirth Movement.
This history was not written by us but was compiled from multiple sources including:
Egharevba, J.U. 1968. A Short History of Benin. Ibadan: I.U.P.
Eweka, E.B. 1992. Evolution of Benin Chieftaincy Title. Benin City: Uniben. Press.
Okoduwa, Anthony. 2006. “Tenacity of Gerontocracy in Nigeria: An Example of the Esan People in Edo State.”
Okojie, C.G. 1960. Ishan Native Laws and Customs. Lagos-Nigeria: John Okwessa Publishers.
Omokhodian, J.O. 1998, The Sociology of the Esans. Tropical Publication Ltd. Ojeremen, Stephen. 2007. “Esan Youth Rebirth Movement.
