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'''Ewu'''<ref>{{cite news | first=Cassandra | last=Jardine | title=The return of the secondary modern | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/3621779/The-return-of-the-secondary-modern.html | location = London | agency= | newspaper=The Daily Telegraph | date=5 August 2004 }}</ref> is a small but important 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. |
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==History and Governance== |
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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'' <ref name="eromosele">{{Cite book |title=The History and Chronicle of Ewu Monarchy: Since 1440| first=Saintmoses |last=Eromosele |publisher=The Pedagogues Publishing, in association with Ewu Students' Association of Nigeria |year=2003}}. Ewu is believed to have been organized by [[Oba Ewuare]], in 1440 and was associated with [[Bini people|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]] ref name="eromosele">{{Cite book |title=The History and Chronicle of Ewu Monarchy: Since 1440| first=Saintmoses |last=Eromosele |publisher=The Pedagogues Publishing, in association with Ewu Students' Association of Nigeria |year=2003}}. 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 Empire]] 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]].<ref name="eromosele"/>, |
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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 Benin kingdom during the occupation of Ewu by the Benin princes. 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. <ref name="eromosele"/>, <ref name="Okojie" <ref name="Okojie" "Ishan Native Laws and Customs" />, </3> |
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==Religion== |
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Ewu has three major religions: [[Esan traditional religion]]; [[Islam]]; 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]].{{Cite news |first=Agha |last=Ibiam |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200710120159.html |title=Nigeria: Ewu - Where Tradition and Christianity Mix |date=11 October 2007 |publisher=This Day }} 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) <ref> http://www.nast-ewu.com/ </ref> |
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==Economy== |
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Ewu is the site of one of the largest factories in Edo State, the Bendel Feed and Flour Mills BFFM Limited.{{Cite journal |journal=Research journal of applied sciences |url=http://www.medwelljournals.com/abstract/?doi=rjasci.2008.246.249 |title=Extrinsic Motivation and Organisational Productivity: A Study of Bendel Feed and Flour Mill Limited, Ewu Edo State, Nigeria |year=2008 |volume=3 |issue=3 |page=246-249 |author=E. Ainabor Augustine }} 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 (tranlated: 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 calander. 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. |
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==Notable Residents== |
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* [[Fidelis Oyakhilomen]], retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Nigeria, formerly military Governor of Rivers State and formerly Chairman, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA {{Cite news |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200904130415.html |date=11 April 2009 |publisher=Daily Independent |title=Nigeria: Oyakhilome, Now a Septuagenarian }} {{Cite news |url=news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/778299.stm |title=Drugs: The Nigerian connection |first=Eniwoke |last=Ibagere |publisher=BBC News |date=6 June 2000}}</ref> |
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* [[David Iyoha]], Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.{{Cite news |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200311110631.html |publisher=Daily Champion |date=11 November 2003 |title=Nigeria: Politicians Want Edo Speaker to Resign }} {{Cite news |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200602280412.html |title=Nigeria: Anenih Group Sacks Edo Speaker |date=28 February 2006 |first=Vincent |last=Adekoye |publisher=Daily Champion}} |
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* [[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.{{Cite news|url=http://http://ubiajaunion.org/default.aspx| www.facebook.com/afrism,| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esan|}} |
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==References== |
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<references/> |
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{{nigeria-geo-stub}} |
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[[Category:Edo State]] |
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[[Sub-Category:Esan]] |