ABSTRACT

Extant studies have established that the dialectical historical relationship between man and the natural environment is one of the areas of human knowledge where history and environmentalist/geography share common borders, especially as it relates choice of selection of area of settlement and establishing strong economic base. While it has become almost impossible to complete any serious historical study without emphasizing the role of relevant environmental factors, among environmentalists as well as in geography this relationship is emphasized in the study of history and establishment of human settlement. This paper is thus an attempt at using some oral traditions among the Esan people at providing some historical examples based on knowledge of environment which over the years have affected (and still affecting) the selection of area for settlement among the various Esan people (as contained in the Oral Traditions of the people). Data obtained from primary and secondary sources (literature review and content analysis) were deployed to carry out the study with Environmental determinism and analytical/narrative historical method. Findings indicates that there is a dialectical historical relationship between man and the natural environment. It shows that (although not taken serious among western scholars), the oral tradition of the people considers the role of the environment in selecting area for human settlement especially in term of establishing strong economic base. Oral tradition on migration also identifies the great role played by the environment in regulating the relationship between occupational groups.