ADMINISTRATION

There are different rules and procedures involved in the setting up of the administration of Etsako. They may change from time to time, so the description given here may be different from what obtains now and at some point in the future.

There are 3 social structure of power. These are (a)Age (b)Title and (c)Wealth. Wealth can be divided into  (i)Man Wealth and (ii)Material Wealth. The ways which these three factors are useed in cln administration is shown below.

• During and after the Nupe rule, the method of taking titles in  Auchi, South Ibie and Aviele clans practised the foreign system of taking titles. In this method, the candidate after fulfilling the requirements of the chiefs and eders is turbanned and associated with a foreign title name. Some of thee title names are: DAUDA, YAMAH, KESSARAKI, TOMOH,YERIMAH,and JAGBA.   

• The above method was also the case to a lesser degree in the clans of Anwain, South Ineme, and Jagbe.
• The nupe also introduced some principles on leadership that were alien to the clans of Auchi, Uzairue, South Ibie and Ekperi. It is thought that in these clans, headship of the village was once vested on the oldest man in the clan. The Nupes demanded a more virile form of administration, and selected men of character, wealth and ability from among the people of the clan to act as their local agents. Under Nupe patronage, these men came to be regaded as headmen and tribute was rendered      them for the services they gave in acting as intermediaries with the slave raiders.
• At Auchi, Uzairue and Ekperi, the Nupes appointed Agents for the clan and these agents, in their turns, appointed village heads to whom they gave the Northern name, Dawudu. At South Ibie, local agents were appointed in each of the five villages and a clan headship did not evolve.

• In Avianwu, Okpilla, Wepa Wanno, Ekperi and North Ibie, a title is taken by whoever is desirous of it by paying fees in the form of money, livestock and food, to those who have already taken titles. The ceremony lasts from3 to 7 days varying from clan to clan in accordance with the customs of the clans.Among the Okpillas, a man is not qualified to take a title while his father is alive and among the Weppa Wannos, a similar tradition exists in the case of an Amoya son, also in Weppa Wanno, women can be given titles. In Ekperi and Avianwu, any free born male may offer himself up as a candidate for taking a title but public opinion may prevent a  person from taking a title in the presence of an older person in the family who has not taken it and a person may be prevented from taking a title if he is not rcommended by the head of the family.                                                                                                                      
•       A title holder establishes himself as a person of substance in the clan, he/she is qualified to contribute to administration of the clan affairs. Note that a man can also participate in the administration of the village or clan by virtue of actual long age and or by wealth.

HISTORY

History of Etsako

The Etsakos are descendants of refugees from Benin. Their legends relate to the Obas during the series of Civil Wars which led to their flight to the country lying to the East of Benin Kingdom.
The exact/accurate date of the battle or the subsequent exodus has not been pin-pointed,  but it is said to have occurred during the period of the reign of Oba Ozolua or Oba Esigie of Benin (1500-1504A.D.)
According to legend, the refugees first settled in an area lying between Auchi, Uzairue and Ugioli. At some point in the future, dissension arose between the settlers and further migrations towards the North and the East  were made. Peaceful expansion followed until 1855 when the area became subject of slave collection/raids by the Nupe from Bida.
All the clans could possibly have successfully repelled the invaders, but they did not combine to do so. They could not do anything against their mounted and well armed foes and eventually, they were compelled to capitulate and acquiesce to the Nupe demands.
For that reason, Etsako continued to to pay tribute to the Nupes until 1897 when the Nupes returned to Bida to resist the attack of the first British Patrols in the Northern part of Nigeria. Soon after the withdrawal of the Nupes, the first Europeans appeared. No resistance was offered them and the downfall of Bida was announced.
Unfortunately it was impossible to make research into the official records covering the periods 1897 to 1919 which was said to have got lost during the war. It is therefore only possible to piece the story of the British administration before 1919.
Around 1904, British Patrols from Idah, then part of the Southern provinces, found the clans of Weppa Wanno, Anegbete, Avianwu and Ekperi and established a native court at Fugar. At some time before 1904, North Ibie, Okpilla and parts of Uzairue up to Avia were administered from Kabba. In 1911, an assistant District Officer was stationed at Iddo-Okpilla for the administrative convenience of the residents of Kabba province. In 1914 Idah was transferred to the North provinces and the Southern portion of Etsako were administered from Ubiaja.
In 1918, the Kurukuru Division was formed with its headquater at Fugar and the Etsako re-united in one division. In 1919 administrative systems known as "District Headships" were created as follows:
1. Okpilla and North Ibie were placed under a District Head from Okpilla.

2. Auchi, Avianwu, Uzairue, Ikpeshi and South ibie were placed undera  District Head from Auchi.

3. Weppa Wanno, Ekperi and South Uneme were placed undera  District Head from Anegbete.

4. Long before this time, Aviele, Jagbe, Anwain were under a District Head from Agbede.

GEOGRAPHY

Geography of Etsako

The Etsako division occupies a land area of about 4,300 square kilometres. The southern boundary of Etsako is formed with the Northern end of the Okpebho LGA. The Northern boundary is formed with the Southern boundary of the Okene LGA, the Eastern boundary is formed by the River Niger while the Western boundary is formed by the Owan LGA.
Etsako occupies land with diferent geographical features, it has water supply coming from 6 rivers, the River Niger, the River Orle, River Edion, River Ogio, River Ogbudu and River Obe. Apart from these rivers, there are also smaller streams which serve the area in their water needs.
In Etsako, the communities and clans have different soil types and features. There is Savanna land which is occupied by Auchi, Uzairue,Weppa Wanno and South Ibie.
There is Semi-Forest land and Swampy areas which is occupied by Aviele, Anwain, Jagbe, Ekperi ans South Uneme.
The Rocky land/Rocky Areas are occupied by Okpilla, Okpepke and the three divisions of Ibie.

ETSAKO IN EDO STATE

Etsako is in Edo State, Nigeria.

The location of Edo State is on the map in the picture.

A more detailed map of Edo State is above, see Etsako on the map.
I would really have liked to post a detailed map of Etsako west, but I could not find it anywhere on the web and I can't really create a map since I am not a Geologist/Geographist.
So I'll just write what I know about the
 place from inquiring about it and from reading.

Local Government Areas in Edo State.

No long story here, there are 18 LGAs;

1.  Etsako East
2.  Etsako West
3. Etsako Central
4.  Owan East
5.  Owan West
6.  Esan North-East
7.  Esan South-East
8.  Esan Central
9.  Esan West
10.  Ovia North-East
11.  Ovia South-East
12.  Orhionwom
13. Uhunmwonde
14. Egor
15.  Akoko Edo
16.  Igueben
17.  Oredo
18.  Ikpoba-Okha

Initially, there used to exist only a single Local Government area of Etsako, it was later divided into three different parts in order for there to be effective administration of the area.

Etsako LGA was divided into the three LGAs which individually, are composed of the following towns/communities/clans:

Etsako West

1. Auchi
2. Ozairue/Jattu
3. Agbede
4. Anwain
5. Iyaro/Ivbiaro
6. South Ibie
7. Afashio
8. Awiele/Aviele/Ugioli
9. Warrake

The District Headquaters of Etsako West is at Auchi.

Etsako East

1. Agenebode
2. Oshiolo 
3. Iviagbapue 
4. Imiiakebu 
5. Afana 
6. Imiegba 
7. Itsukwi 
8. Ayogwiri 
9. Emokweme 
10. Ekwothor 
11. Iviukhua 
12. Okpella 
13. Okpekpe 
14. Iviebua 
15. Ibie 
16. Weppa Wanno

The District Headquaters of Etsako East is at Agenebode.

Etsako Central 

1. Fugar 
2. Anegbette 
3. Udochi 
4. Ogbona

The Ditrict Headquaters of Etsako Centrl is at Fugar.

START

I really ought to make the appearance of my blog more attractive if I want any reasonable number of people to take interest in it.
Anyway, I opened this blog because I wanted to write about my home town here.
Write everything that I think is worthy of being put up on the web to enlighten people because it seems to me that there are only very few sources of information on the web about Etsako, so I want to do the little I can to promote the place.
That task might be difficult for me because I can count the number of times I have been to the place and I did not spend enough time there to even learn the language well enough to be able to speak it fluently, but still, I won't be deterred.
I will try to ask and find out valid info to put up.

ETSAKO!!!
UTSOMAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha ha.