Esanland has been inhabited since the late Iron Age, by hunter-gatherers from the Nok culture[citation needed].

Independent rule in Esanland continued into the 1800s, until the British claimed the entire region for the Royal Niger Company as part of the colony Nigeria.

Local opposition to the conquest was vocal, and enijie such as King Ogbidi Okojie of Uromi banded together their soldiers in an unsuccessful attempt to fight British rule.

Since independence, Esanland has suffered from poor infrastructure and an attempted takeover in the Nigerian Civil War by Biafra.

[5] They created a pre-Esan, pre-Edo society that built advanced structures such as moats and walls around family properties.

[6] Modern-day digs in the region have found that these walls were situated in the eastern Benin Empire and northern Esanland.

Esanland's culture, language and growth were majorly influenced by the mass exoduses to Esan territory from all adjacent polities[7] Communities on Esanland's southern and eastern fringes (Ewohimi, Ewatto, Ekpon, Amahor) were heavily populated by Igbos and Igalas (into Uroh);[8] from the north came the Emai into Ukhun, Idoa, and Amahor and the Etsako into Irrua;[8] and from the south came the Itsekiri (into Ekpon) and Urhobo (into Ujiogba).

In 1460, Oba Ewuare passed laws of mourning that prohibited sexual intercourse, bathing, drumming, dancing, and cooking.

This exodus shaped Esanland's modern cultural identity and gave rise to the term "Esan," or "refugee."

This was due to the Oba, at ascension on the throne, sending white chalk to the Esans as a term of friendship.

The war lasted from 1502 to 1503, and resulted from a refusal of friendship from Oba Ozolua of Benin by Onojie Agba of Uromi.

The nineteenth century brought increasing influence of Europe on Esanland, as the English demanded palm-products.

Fallen Benin chiefs like Ologbosere and Ebohon were still resistant to British rule inadvertently guarded Esan soil from the west, by establishing military camps and blocking roads.

After a short time, British forces overtook the village Amedeokhian, where Okolo was stationed, and murdered him.

This process was duplicated in most of the kingdoms that fought with Britain: guerilla warfare was excessively used by the Esans, resulting in prolonged battle time in spite of inferior weapons, and reinforcements from Benin City for the British.

Even when villages were conquered, internal resistance was fierce: continued guerilla warfare in Uromi forced the British to release Prince Okojie.