THE PRE-COLONIAL JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF ESANLAND (A CASE STUDY OF IRRUA KINGDOM)

THE PRE-COLONIAL JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF ESANLAND (A CASE STUDY OF IRRUA KINGDOM)

table of contents
title page

Certification II
Devotion III
confirmationiv
Contents Ⅴ
chapter One
Historical background of Irua 1
Traditions of Origin, Migration and Settlement 3
traditional religious beliefs 23
Chapter 2
Esankai Socio-Political Organization 28
Women’s Association 33
political structure 35
Chapter 3
Justice system:
Distribution of justice in Esan
Precolonial Society 46
type of crime 49
Law enforcement proceedings 52
types of punishment 58
Objection process 62
Chapter 4
The impact of the judicial system on the public 69
Existence of a free and fair society 71
Existence of the rule of law 72
Chapter 5
Conclusion 79
References/Oral Interview 83
Appendix 85

chapter One

Historical background of Irua
Irua is located in Esan Central Administrative Region, Edo State, Nigeria. Irua and other cities in the vicinity are part of the Esan Group. It is located in the western part of Essanland. The city has an area of ​​about 80 square kilometers. It is bordered by Agbede to the north, Ew to the northwest, Ekpoma to the southwest, and Uromi to the southeast. So the city consists of 20 villages. Eguare, Usgenu, Aho, Idumebo, Izumabi, Usenu, Onogubo, Agua, Edenu, Ugbokale, Ibole, Atuagbo, Ugvalo, Udomi, Ibuolulu, Ahuda, Ecomojodu, Idumogodo, Idomoza, Ujabole. In the tradition of human origin, Ilua is divided into two groups.
That is Otowa Group and Uwesan. Administratively, however, the Irua are divided into four groups: Otruwa, Uwesan, Ikekat and Ujabole. The Otruwa Group consists of Eguare, Usugbenu, Idumebo, Izmavi and Usnu. Uwesan is made up of Onogbo, Agua, Edenu, Aho, Ugbocare, and Ibole. Iketat consists of Atuagbo, Ugvalo, Udmi, and Ivuolulu. Ujabole consists of Agda, Ekomojoda, Idum Ogod, Idum Oza and Ujabole.
Before colonial times, people were mainly farmers because of the fertile soil. There was a vast dense forest overgrown with timber and palm trees. Pre-colonial Irua society relied on agriculture

The origins of the Irua people are characterized by a lack of documentary material to explain their early history, which is also inherent in the pre-colonial histories of most West African countries, and how and where the Irua people lived. I’m trying to find out how they got there.
According to the Otrois people, the Great Migration that took place in Benin from the 15th to his 16th century led to the settlement of Irua, mainly during the reigns of warrior kings such as Euare the Great, Oba his Ozorua, and Eshiguier. rice field.

According to this lore, the Bini migration was triggered by an inhuman law of mourning enacted in 1460 by Oba Eware the Great. Most of these immigrants who escaped Ewuare’s tyranny moved in groups. The fleeing Bini’s group was led by prominent warriors such as Ogu, who settled in Yvue, Uromi. After months of searching in the woods between Benin and Esan, they ended up in Esanland. According to lore, the first group, mainly the Ugboko tribe of the city of Benin, landed at Irua, led by her Amilele, a great female warrior (okankuro) from Benin. They settled in the Irua area.
According to Dr. CG Okoziye in his book “Laws and Customs of the Ishan Indigenous Peoples”, Amirele, along with his followers, founded the present-day settlement of Eguare and, due to the superiority of the new immigrants in numbers, cooperation and control, It was able to conquer other settlements around it. Iki, according to today’s Opposite, their neighbors emigrated.
Finally, realizing that force could not be used, or that force could not be used to bring the recalcitrant back to Benin, Oba Eware sought diplomatic means. He proclaimed an amnesty for the leaders of Okankuro and promised a reward if they could return to Benin. The group that settled in Irua sent them back to Oba with the words “Irio wa idee” (We are at home, we are not coming). It was the word Iliowa that was later tampered with Irua in colonial times.
A second lore holds that the Irua people migrated from Uhe near Ife many years ago. Amirele gathered his men and took them on a diplomatic visit to Benin, paying tribute to Benin’s oba at the time, whose name was Oe. When he came to Benin, Oba (大江) gave his daughter Amirele named Iruiwa as his wife and gave him the title Onojie (Enigiye). After a short stay, Amilele and his new wife headed home with their supporters in Benin. But on their way back to Ifek they stopped to rest, and the place where they rested became today’s Eguare. While resting, they found large, ripe palm nuts, which they interpreted as evidence of the fertility of the land. Amirel decided to settle there and she sent a report to Oba of Benin, who informed her decision to settle in the new territory. So they named the settlement Iliowa, after Amilele, Oba’s daughter and beloved wife.
A second tradition error of Ilua’s Otrowa origin is that of Ifek, which did not appear until the 19th century. However, both traditions of origin originated in Benin, with Amirele as the heroine or founder.
According to intelligence reports about the Ishan Division in Benin, they began to grow and soon other villages were established in the area.

Eguare
Eguare is the headquarters and residence of the Onojie, due to the arrival of Amilele and her followers. According to tradition of origin, immigrants from Ugboka immigrated to Benin City. Ekpereizier was the first Onogier appointed by Obahi Eware at Benin City in 1463.

Ako
Ajo natives came directly from Ibie. They began to settle in Irua before the others, but their power was weakened when they were defeated at the Battle of Yidigba by the Usenu, a group of Usenen who later migrated to Benin City. He came in third after Oussenu. . However, despite their diminished status, the Aho still owned the Ooto Shrine (Aruoto). .

Usugbenu
Most of the early founders are from Benin. Usugbenu is the second largest village after Eguare. It divides him into five (five) (Idum) Ikekiyala, Uhekpen, Ugerioqua, Uzeb and Yididigba. Ikekiyara:
The district’s founders came with immigrants from Benin led by Amirele. Eguare in search of farmland He settled across the Motte (Iyala), hence the name Ikequiyala (meaning the other side of the Motte).
Uhekpen:
The first settlers in the area came from Uhekpen in Benin.
Ugenokua:
Most of the settlers in this district were from Iganlan (Igalla).
Uzebu:
The founders of this district came directly from the Uzeb district of Benin. explanation:
The district was founded and settled by Princess Irua of Eguare. The founding princess was the princess of Enige, between Ihihibohele and Ogbeide 1720 – 1840.2
Uweren Ed:
A sub-district of Ididigba, later founded by immigrants from Benin.

USENU
The Usenu indigenous people are said to have migrated to the area from his Uselu in Benin when the Great Migration took place in Benin during the reign of his Oba Ewuare the Great in the 15th century. These immigrants are said to have arrived at Irua before the arrival of the Ugboka immigrants from Benin. The Ugboka immigrants eventually occupied what is now Eguare, Onojie’s headquarters. Considering that Aho was defeated at the Battle of Yidigba, Ouser immigrants were considered great warriors. Their victory at the Battle of Yidigba placed them second only to the people of Eguare Irua in terms of status and settlement order.

Izumebo

Unogbo changed into based with the aid of using Prince Amese (Omese) and his followers4. In the account, Etaghaife and Amese have been prince of Ekpeneiji the Onojie of Irrua. Etaghaige changed into the elder and changed into obedient to his father the Onojie however Amese the more youthful changed into now no longer. To keep away from battle after his loss of life, the Onojie referred to as Amese and gave him riches along with slaves and servants and despatched him away to the region now referred to as Unogbo with the promise that withinside the new abode, his elder brother (Etaghaife) and others will not be capable of intrude in his affairs.five Amese gladly regularly occurring the offer. Another has it that, Prince Amese changed into the inheritor obvious of Ekpereiji the Onojie of Irrua. After the loss of life of his father, Ekpereigie, he accumulated all his first sons of all households in Irrua and went to Benin that allows you to accumulate the team of workers of workplace from the Oba of Benin.6
He later again to Irrua with out the primary sons he had left Irrua with. This motion of Amese angered the Irrua human beings and that they refused to simply accept him because the Onojie. Subsequently, they drove him farfar from Eguare. He wandered to Onogbo wherein he have become the founding father of the Onogbo human beings.

AGUA
The call Agua is from the Esan world ‘Ogua’ meaning ‘mixture’. As its call is so is also the village, that is made of 3 quarters, aside from Eko-Eiche and Eko Kakulu, that are current agreement.
These 3 quarters are made of immigrants from special regions which encompass Idumu-Eguale, Idumu-Abokha and Egbelualemon.
Idumu-Eguale:
The founders of this zone are immigrant from Ugboha withinside the cutting-edge Esan North East Local Government Area. Their chief changed into Ihaianlomon.
Idumu-Abokha:
Was based with the aid of using Emando refugees from the Eguare-Ikeakhe strugglefare of 1850 in Ekpoma7. Egbeluabelomon quarters have been immigrants from Ujamen, a suburb of Benin.

EIDENU
This village changed into based with the aid of using 3 (3) brilliant warriors namely:
Aighe, Unobi and Omorulare. They settled in 3 special quarters in what got here to be referred to as Eidenu. Eidenu has 3 quarters Eidenu-Abo, Idinobi and Udowa.
Eidenu-na-Abo changed into settled with the aid of using Aighe and his fans. Its first agreement changed into Odoa. With the non-stop growth in populace brought about the formation of quarters like Idinegbon, Ogbakha, Uwendalo and Eko-nou-khou. It is that this region that changed into settled with the aid of using the descendants of Aighe that have become Eidenu-na-Ato quarters.
Unobi and his fans settled withinside the zone now referred to as Idinobi. Due to growth in populace Iyobhebhe migrated eastward to set up 1 / 4 referred to as Eko-Iyobhebhe. The descendants of Omariare, a Nupe warrior left Emmaudo-Ekpoma for the duration of the Eguare-Ikeakhe wars of 1860 occupies the zone now referred to as Udowo. In a report, the 3 warriors that settled at Eidenu have been from Ifeku. But they did now no longer arrive at Irrua till after the immigrants from Ugboka in Benin.

UNEAH
Uneah is the call for the folks that now settle in Ibore, Atuagbo and Ugbalo villages. The numerous subculture in their beginning claimed that they migrated from Otuo, a city withinside the cutting-edge Owan East Local Government Area.
According to .O. Okosun, Ineah changed into the trainer of the zone – in Otuo. Due to the regular maltreatment of the human beings with the aid of using the king of Otuo, he amassed his human beings and left Otuo. At Irrua, the Onojie granted Ineah and his institution safety and permission to settle in Akho.eight
According to Dr. C.G. Okojie, the migrants have been special from that of the human beings that blanketed them. For instance, in Irrua while animals like buffalo, wild pig and eagle have been killed with the aid of using hunters, the proper leg of the animal should be despatched to the Onojie as sacrifice. But if a tiger is killed, the lifeless animal should be despatched to the

However, fearing to offend Ilua’s Onojye, each animal killed by the migrants was presented to the Onojye, accompanied by war songs and dances.
The Uwagwe chief of Aho was surprised by the immigrants’ strange behavior. It was expected that one of his Unea hunters could one day break a taboo against Esan customs, with adverse consequences for society. As expected, the deed was accomplished in the sense that Unea’s hunter killed the tiger and after rewarding the hunter, he sent it to Onojie. As per custom, Onojie ordered the dead tigers to be buried, but insisted that the people (unea) should eat the dead animals. The people’s attitude led Onojie to believe that he could do worse than he (Onojie), and on this basis ordered Aho to leave and moved deeper into the forest.

So they moved into their current home, which became known as Age O’Clea. However, it was later changed to Unea in memory of its founder.

Ugbohare
The first founders of this village came directly from Ifek to the present settlement. However, after the indigenous Irua tribe had already settled in Eguare, the first founding leader was considered a great warrior, like the founder of Eidenne. It is said that he followed after him, but he met the people of Eidenne, who had already settled down, and moved northwards to settle in the present village.

ujab hall
The founder of Ujabhole was an immigrant from his Uhe district of Benin. They came during the Great Movement of the 15th century during the reign of Oba Eware the Great. They first settled near Ogus, near Aivwe.
Ujabhole village is the furthest he Irrua district from the Usesa direction he towards Uromi. Onojie of Irualand had given his leader the title of Iyasere (supreme commander of the warriors) upon his arrival. He made him supervise all Uwesan villages and Onojie representatives in the area. Legend has it that Onojie gave him a short Uhimi stalk (new Bodia leaf) to plant in his village (Ujabole) as a symbol of Ujabole’s chieftain status, and Onojie wished him to be uprooted. instructed him not to allow (Ujabhole) Therefore, the name Ujabhole has remained the name of the village ever since.

Udomi
The original founder of the village is said to have immigrated directly from Benin during the great migration of people during the reign of Oba Ewuare. According to tradition, Ogu was the leader of the warriors who left Benin during Oba Eware’s reign. Oghu and his group settled at Ivue, the highest point of Mt. Ogu was among them when Oba Ewale dispatched his war leaders in 1463. However, he apologized for not going because he had a problem with his leg. He asked his eldest son Ogara to go to Benin for him, but his son refused and instead Ogu consulted his younger brother Ichesan, who went for him.
His father-son hatred spread through the village. According to C.G., Okozy, Ogara, and his followers were expelled from Ivee. Ogara and his followers first settled in Onewa, then Aho, and finally Udmi. Current home of Irrua.10
Another version of this origin lore states that he was Oghu who migrated from Ivue and asked permission to settle on Irua soil.

Ahda
Aguda’s first founder came directly from Benin during the reign of his Oba Ewuare of Benin. However, most of today’s inhabitants later emigrated from Eguale Rua.

Iimu throne
The founder of this village formed a branch of Ujabhole. The site of this village was the farmland of settlers from Ujabole.

traditional religious beliefs
Religion is the belief in the existence of a supreme power, creator and ruler of the universe, who endowed man with spiritual qualities that persisted after the physical death of the body. Esan was polytheistic in his religious beliefs. Polytheism was greatly influenced by the nature of the environment. Esan has deities such as Yidigung – god of iron, Unoko – god of iroko trees, Osun – god of medicine, Obiemon – goddess of the sea (this is adopted from traditional Beninese beliefs). Natural features such as rocks, sea creatures such as crocodiles were not worshiped as such features were not present in the Esan environment.
The central religious worship was Esanchi Ancestral Worship, which connects to the human soul. Physical death does not mean the end of life or existence. Esan believed that after death, a person ascends to a higher realm (otherworldly). In this realm, the earthly dead continue to exist in a higher way. Here he can see and communicate with Osenobuah, the supreme deity. This ability allows him to direct and influence the activities of those he left behind on Earth. It was this Esan worship that inspired the ancestor worship, which they considered to be the spirit of the Elimins.
Every Essanland family had its own ancestral deity. Various types of sacrifices are made to appease the gods and ancestors. It was the eldest surviving son (Omijiogba) who owned the ancestral deity. All his uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters in need of ancestral blessings approached him to perform ceremonies and worship for him or her. Sacrificial objects include goats, poultry, seared yams, and well-prepared soups.
On the appointed days of worship, the whole family is invited to the ancestral shrine at Oduwa (the main building where Omijogba resides). The Omijiogba slaughters the animals offered, blesses each appeaser with an ouflé, and makes some abstract signs in front of him or her. He also prays for his whole family. We all shared the food that was provided. Ultimately, the appeaser returns home with the psychological belief and satisfaction that his or her pleas have been heard and accepted by the ancestors.
In Irua, and indeed throughout Essanland, religion has a beneficial value in society.It provided moral etiquette to the people.