Owan People

Have you ever heard of the Owan people? Many people know about the Benin people and some might have heard about the Esan tribe, but not many know about other tribes in Edo State. The Owan people are an ethnic group in the Northern part of the state.

Name

Owan got its name from this river they call Onwan/Owanvbua, which means “one who makes merry in affluence”. And I mean, that’s a fantastic name, because who doesn’t want to be balling and marinating in serious money? Anyway, Onwan is said to have been named after a famous daughter of Egomi of Uvbiato, whose name is derived from the root word “Owanbua.” Huge flex, because can they ever? Obviously, Owan is considered one of the Edoid peoples.

Structure

Owan is currently made up of two Local Government Areas, namely: Owan East and Owan West – isn’t it always refreshing when it’s not North and South? These two LGAs house so many clans; notable amongst them are Ihievbe, Emai people, Iuleha land, Ora, Igue, Uokha, Otuo, Ikhin, Ivbi-Mion, Ivbi-Adaobi, and Ozalla, to name some.

Lifestyle

Typically, Owan people engage in farming, hunting, trading, and fishing from the rivers around their place. Now, while you might think it is absolutely crazy for someone to leave the city for sightseeing, trust me, it is totally worth it when it comes to Owan.

Owan has some of the dopest tourist sites you might want to visit. There are the Ihievbe Waterfalls, the Giant Footprints of Ikhuse-oke and Ikhuse-osi. You can also visit the lapping rocks of Igwe-sale, and the Great Hills of Urhoe.

Famous People

Some Owan people have become well-known for their contribution to society. These include famous Nigerian singer, Waje; first female vice chancellor in Nigeria, Grace Alele-Williams; Nigerian fashion designer, Mai Atafo; and owner of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu.

Are you an Owan person, or know anyone from there, drop a comment below.

Learn about the Esan people here.