By Prince Kelly O. Udebhulu

In Esan people’s norms, culture and tradition; it stated that the eldest son, in the monogamous family setting especially, inherits every single property belonging to the late father and mother, though same culture/tradition also demands that he must take care of the upkeep of his brothers and sisters but this is not always the case resulting to bitter family conflict and division. Many said it is unfair while conservatives viewed it as tradition that must be obeyed.

I mentioned in some of my cultural reviews that under Esan burial rites, the oldest surviving son of the deceased has the sole traditional right to perform and lead the burial rites of the dead parent(s) before the extended family. He bears the burden to bury his late dead father and may be or optionally assisted by his siblings which are sometimes done by levying them in anticipation of sharing the estate property with them or allowing them to farm on the family land or remain in the family home.

Typically, at the death of an Esan man, his oldest living son inherits his entire estate and hereditary titles, if any. His wife or wives are included except his mother. The first son also inherits his late mother’s landed properties, while his wife inherits her personal properties like wardrobe and cooking apparatuses. Under polygamous setting, it is contemporarily unfair before other children from different mother but tradition demands that they must obey the instructions from the eldest surviving son of their dead father; else, the ancestral spirit may strike any child who disobeys the eldest son traditionally. Notably, findings by this writer have shown that the feature of such inheritance is that of a “trustee”.

Read concluding part of the long article here: http://www.businesspost.ng/2016/11/01/inheritance-first-son-takes-esan-culture/

Anyone still practicing this belongs to the past, and should remain in the past.
This is one reason polygamy is frowned at.... You can never tell the motive of your son.
Education has really helped, it is better to share it equally to the children.

I don't see anything new here, almost all Nigerian ethnic groups do the same.