Contributions of Esan women to sustainable economic development and the consolidation of intra and inter-group relations, 1850-1960

Abstract

This paper highlights aspects of Production amongst Esan Women for Sustainable Economic Development and the Consolidation of Intra and Inter Group Relations between1850-1960: Lesson for Nigeria Still in Search of Economic Relations. This paper is timely due to the dearth of literature on women and their contributions to economic development in the pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria. However, with the use of primary and secondary sources, this paper examines the extent to which Esan women contributed to the sustenance and consolidation of intra and inter group relations and cooperation in the period under consideration. Some of the factors that facilitated the contributions made by women included the culture of the people, introduction of British colonial economy as well as contacts with neighbouring communities. The result of these was that, while the Esan women retained their cultural identity, they tried to diversify their economic basis to meet the challenges of the period between 1850 and1960 and even beyond.