Ewu
Encyclopedia
Ewu is a Nigerian city situated in Esan Central Local Governnment area in Edo State
of Nigeria. The city, an Esan
tribe, lies on 200 feet in the plateau region of central Edo State
, 100 kilometres north of Benin City
, the capital of Edo State
, Nigeria
. Ewu city comprises the villages and towns of Eguare, Ehanlen, Ihenwen, Uzogholo, Ukhiodo, Idunwele, Eko, Oghodogbor, and Ukpeko Ori. Ewu is bounded in the north by Agbede, in the south-east by Irrua, in the south-west by Ekpoma. Ewu is also pronounced Elu by natives. It is believed that Ewu is the anglicized rendering of the original name of Elu.
checked the frequent rebellion and insubordination of the ancient, powerful Uzea and Uromi
kingdoms in Esanland, and co-opted the Esan kingdoms into the fast-growing Benin Empire
.,
Notwithstanding the origin of the Benin Empire occupation of Ewu in about 1440, Ewu people have various accounts of oral tradition which trace their pre-occupation existence to time immemorial. In all the accounts of origin, it is generally accepted that the people of Ehanlen were the aboriginals in the ancient land of Ewu.
The Ewu kingdom is ruled by the Ojeifo dynasty, which traces its roots via Ekpebua to Ozaine, the first Onoje of Ewu, who was a viceroy of the Oba Ewuare of Benin. The aboriginal peoples of Ewu are the Ehanlen people. Other settlers came from Igun and Ugbekun Quarters of Benin kingdom during the occupation of Ewu by the Benin imperialists. These settlers settled at Ihenwen at the quarters known as Idumigun. Later nomads and emigrants came from Emaudo in Ekpoma and settled in the areas known as Idunwele and Eko. Other waves of Benin emigrants fled from the tyranny of Oba Ewuare to Ewu and settled at Uzogholo, Idunwele and Ehanlen.
; and Christianity
. Islam was introduced in the early 20th century. Ewu is home to the St. Benedict Monastery, a monastery of the Roman Catholic Church
. It is also home to an advanced theological seminary owned by the Assemblies of God
Church, Nigeria, known as the Nigerian Advanced School of Theology (NAST)
Edo State
Edo State is an inland state in central southern Nigeria. Its capital is Benin City. It is bounded in the north and east by Kogi State, in the south by Delta State and in the west by Ondo State.-History:...
of Nigeria. The city, an Esan
Esan
Esan is one of the major ethnic groups in Edo State, South-south geopolitical zone of Nigeria.-Name:It is believed by many historians that the name 'Esan' owes its origin to Bini...
tribe, lies on 200 feet in the plateau region of central Edo State
Edo State
Edo State is an inland state in central southern Nigeria. Its capital is Benin City. It is bounded in the north and east by Kogi State, in the south by Delta State and in the west by Ondo State.-History:...
, 100 kilometres north of Benin City
Benin City
Benin City, is a city and the capital of Edo State in southern Nigeria. It is a city approximately twenty-five miles north of the Benin River. It is situated 200 miles by road east of Lagos...
, the capital of Edo State
Edo State
Edo State is an inland state in central southern Nigeria. Its capital is Benin City. It is bounded in the north and east by Kogi State, in the south by Delta State and in the west by Ondo State.-History:...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Ewu city comprises the villages and towns of Eguare, Ehanlen, Ihenwen, Uzogholo, Ukhiodo, Idunwele, Eko, Oghodogbor, and Ukpeko Ori. Ewu is bounded in the north by Agbede, in the south-east by Irrua, in the south-west by Ekpoma. Ewu is also pronounced Elu by natives. It is believed that Ewu is the anglicized rendering of the original name of Elu.
History and Governance
Ewu is the second largest city (after Irrua) in Esan Central Local Government area Council. The Ewu-born playwright and poet Saintmoses Eromosele described Ewu as The Holy City in his book, The History and Chronicle of Ewu Monarchy: Since 1440. The monarchy of Ewu is believed to have been organized by Oba Ewuare, in 1440 and was associated with Bini princes and warriors who made it their garrison in their quest to subjugate Esan tribes. Prior to the coming of Oba Ewuare in the mid 15th century, the Ewu community was organized and governed by a geruntocracy where a council of the oldest people called Edion administered the various villages that constituted Ewu independently. But Oba Ewuare of imperial Benin Kingdom overturned the geruntocratic system of administration he met in his conquest of Esanland and enthroned some of his princes as viceroys in its place, and Ozaine became a viceroy of the Oba in Ewu. These princes of Benin EmpireBenin Empire
The Benin Empire was a pre-colonial African state in what is now modern Nigeria. It is not to be confused with the modern-day country called Benin, formerly called Dahomey.-Origin:...
checked the frequent rebellion and insubordination of the ancient, powerful Uzea and Uromi
Uromi
Uromi is an acreage city located in north-eastern part of Esan; an ethnic group in Edo state, Nigeria. At various points in Uromi's history, the city has being part of the Benin Empire.- History :...
kingdoms in Esanland, and co-opted the Esan kingdoms into the fast-growing Benin Empire
Benin Empire
The Benin Empire was a pre-colonial African state in what is now modern Nigeria. It is not to be confused with the modern-day country called Benin, formerly called Dahomey.-Origin:...
.,
Notwithstanding the origin of the Benin Empire occupation of Ewu in about 1440, Ewu people have various accounts of oral tradition which trace their pre-occupation existence to time immemorial. In all the accounts of origin, it is generally accepted that the people of Ehanlen were the aboriginals in the ancient land of Ewu.
The Ewu kingdom is ruled by the Ojeifo dynasty, which traces its roots via Ekpebua to Ozaine, the first Onoje of Ewu, who was a viceroy of the Oba Ewuare of Benin. The aboriginal peoples of Ewu are the Ehanlen people. Other settlers came from Igun and Ugbekun Quarters of Benin kingdom during the occupation of Ewu by the Benin imperialists. These settlers settled at Ihenwen at the quarters known as Idumigun. Later nomads and emigrants came from Emaudo in Ekpoma and settled in the areas known as Idunwele and Eko. Other waves of Benin emigrants fled from the tyranny of Oba Ewuare to Ewu and settled at Uzogholo, Idunwele and Ehanlen.
Religion
Ewu has three major religions: Esan traditional religion; IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
; and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Islam was introduced in the early 20th century. Ewu is home to the St. Benedict Monastery, a monastery of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. It is also home to an advanced theological seminary owned by the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
Church, Nigeria, known as the Nigerian Advanced School of Theology (NAST)
Economy
Ewu is the site of one of the largest factories in Edo State, the Bendel Feed and Flour Mills, BFFM, Limited. Ewu economy is basically farming and trading, producing and trading in food and cash crops, chiefly yams, cassava, maize, groundnut, rice, cocoa, and rubber, pepper, oil palm, melons, tomatoes and beans. Ewu's high yield and good farm output is greatly made possible by the vegetation zone which is a rain forest zone, loamy soil type and its arable topography. Ewu has two major markets; Ehanlen market (also known as Ewu Market) and Eguare market, and several other very small markets called Ovbi-Eki - translated small markets). The Ewu Market is possibly the oldest market in Esanland. The Ewu market was founded by a textile trading couple named Izele and Ogogo who traded in textiles at the time that Oba Ozolua met his waterloo at the historic Benin-Uzea war that claimed the lives of both Oba Ozolua of Benin Empire and Onoje Agba of Uzea at Uromi in the late 15th century. The Esan common word, and Ewu proper name, for market day or public holiday is Edi-Ekenlen or Edi-Izele (translated: Day of Izele), lending credence to the claim that Ewu market may have been the first market to have been established in Esanland. The Izele and Ogogo statue stands right at the front view of the Ewu market and is by far the most famous and one of the oldest statues of a legend in Esanland. Also, The sacred day of ancient Esanland where no one must go to the farm is called the Edi-Ekelen or Edi-Izele and that is also the market day for Ewu, the fourth day of the four-day Esan calendar. Ewu also has a good number of factories for its agricultural products. The two most famous factories; Bendel Feed and Flour Mills, BFFM, Limited and Aira Nigeria Limited founded by Engr. Adams C. Okoene, for the manufacture of Rubber and plastic products and processing of safe drinking water.Notable residents
- Fidelis Oyakhilomen, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Nigeria, formerly military Governor of Rivers State and formerly Chairman, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA
- David Iyoha, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.
- Saintmoses Eromosele, author of The History and Chronicle of Ewu Manarchy: Since 1440, international poet and novelist who wrote his bluckbuster first novel, "The Winds of Life" at the age of sixteen and while still in secondary school. .