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THE CASE OF EKWENSU AND ESU 

Ikechukwu Anthony KANU  

ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1977-202X 

Abstract  

The understanding of the African world through the lens or framework of the 
west has been a topical issue among African scholars and beyond. This 
anthropological approach has been described variously by thinkers of various 
backgrounds. However, this approach was considered Hellenization by scholars 
like Okot p'Bitek. This work, therefore, studied the Hellenization of particular 
African deities from the Igbo and Yoruba religious backgrounds: Ekwensu and 
Esu respectively. The concept of Hellenization is employed within the context of 
western and African missionaries trying to understand African traditional world 
and religion without taking into consideration the peculiarity or particularity of 
the African religious context. This piece observes that the emergence of these 
names as the Igbo and Yoruba equivalents of Satan in the Bible, reveals poor 
commitment on the part of the translators to going deeper and spend time in their 
research. It also observes that the introduction of these Igbo and Yoruba deities 
into Christianity, has led to the misunderstanding of their functions in Igbo and 
Yoruba belief systems. More important is that this misinterpretation will 
continue to enhance the challenge of inter-faith dialogue which should encourage 
cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different 
religious traditions. The present research would employ the anthropological 
approach in its investigation into the question of the Hellenization of African 
traditional deities. The phenomenological approach of inquiry would further be 
employed in the study of Ekwensu and Esu.  

Keywords: Hellenization, African, Traditional, Deities, Igbo, Yoruba, 
Ekwensu, Esu 

Introduction  

A major concern for some African scholars in their study of African traditional 
religion has been the misinterpretation of the African religion by missionaries, 
historians, philosophers, anthropologists, historians, etc. This concern has, 
therefore, attracted the perspective of many African scholars who have either 
categorized this pattern of study or proffered solutions to this limited method of 
research. A scholar that has dedicated much time to this and categorized it in his 



 

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studies or researches is the Ugandan academic, Okot p'Bitek. He did a criticism 
of the pattern of religious studies by western scholars such as Edward 
EvansPritchard, Godfrey Lienhardt, Edwin Smith, John Taylor, Placid Tempels, 
among others, and also on some African scholars who were influenced greatly by 
the western approach to the study of African religion. These African scholars of 
his time include Kenyatta, Danquah, Mbiti, etc. Okot (1969) discovers that the 
misinterpretation of African religion by these scholars is based on the drive to 
understand African traditional religion within the conceptual framework of the 
west. He refers to this approach to the study of African religion as 'Hellenization'. 
Okot (1972) observes that these scholars were hellenizing African deities in three 
ways: the first is using the African deities to prove that the Christian God does 
exist and is known among the African people; the second way was basically by 
African nationalists who were trying to prove to the west that the African is also 
civilized, and thus, they clothed African deities in hellenistic garb as they paraded 
them before their western counterparts; the third group were western missionaries 
who wanted to demonstrate to their audience of African elites that they, as Saint 
Paul in Athens were highly religious people with the hope of winning them over 
to Christianity. 

This notwithstanding, the present piece focuses on the Hellenization of particular 
African deities from the Igbo and Yoruba religious backgrounds: Ekwensu and 
Esu respectively. The concept of Hellenization is employed within the context of 
western and African missionaries trying to understand African traditional world 
and religion without taking into consideration the peculiarity or particularity of 
the African religious context.  

Methodology 

The present research would employ the anthropological approach to the study of 
religion in its investigation into the question of the Hellenization of African 
traditional deities, with particular reference to Ekwensu and Esu deities. It would 
study the concept of Ekwensu and Esu in relation to the developments that ensued 
with the emergence of the missionary enterprise. For a better grasp, it would 
adopt the phenomenological approach of inquiry in the study of the two deities. 
This would help in the generation of the basic knowledge about the two deities 
for a further comparative study. It is this comparative study that would help the 
reader to  



Kanu                                   The Hellenization Of African Traditional Deities  

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understand the depth of the Hellenization of African traditional deities. 

  

Hellenization 

The concept Hellenization takes its name from Hellenes- another name for the 
Greeks who are descendants of Hellen, the son of Deucalion and Pyrrha. It stands 
for the spread of Greek culture and the assimilation into Greek culture the peoples 
who were not of Greek origin. This dominant and transformative method was the 
approach of ancient Greek civilization in her relationship with other cultures or 
worldviews. In this way, they spread their culture, which includes their language, 
manner of writing, arts, technology, myth, religion for practical and exploitable 
reasons. 

When the Greeks came to their present place of habitation now called Greece, 
they displaced the indigenous Pelasgians who were there at the time of their 
arrival. Gradually, the culture of the Pelasgians was absorbed by the Greek 
culture and through intermarriage, they became fully Greek. The height of the 
age of Hellenization was during the reign of Alexander the Great. Although his 
father had extended the Greek city states to Egypt, India, Persia and across the 
eastern Mediterranean, Alexander the Great coopted non-Greeks into the Greek 
army and encouraged intermarriages with foreign women so as to close up the 
gap between the Greek and non-Greek speaking peoples. In conquered territories, 
he built schools to teach children Greek language and culture and built 
gymnasiums, cultural centres associated with exercise, medicine, and communal 
bathing in new territories (Ancient World History 2012). 

In this way, the world became more Greek and Greek language became the 
language for traders and travelers. Places like Palestine became hellenized with 
Greek names replacing semitic originals. Names such as Yeshua became Jesus.  

Jewish religion began to blend with Greek traditional religious elements. The 
New Testament written after the death of Jesus was written in Greek language as 
many converts were of Greek origin; and the theologies of Paul and John had 
Greek philosophical influences. The Church Fathers were greatly influenced by 
Greek philosophy which they understood as the handmaid of theology. 

Within academic discussions, especially within religion, Dewart (1967) used the 
concept when he called on theologians to go beyond demythologization to 
deHellenization of the Christian doctrine of God within the context of resolving 
the friction between the experience of Post-war generation and the traditional 
Christian images of God. Robinson (1963) furthers this discourse by emphasizing 
that the traditional Christian images of God were metaphysical, a pattern of 
thinking that the new generation of Christians were not open to. This was what 



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Dewart called Hellenization. This concept was further employed by Okot (1963; 
1964; 1971 and 1972) who criticized western and African missionaries and 
anthropologists for Hellenizing the African Gods to suite western conceptions. In 
fact, Rinsum (2004) avers that “De-Hellenist had actually become an honorary 
title for Okot p'Bitek” (p. 31) given his extensive use of the concept in his works. 

These notwithstanding, the concept of Hellenization would be used within the 
context of the missionaries' interpretation of Ekwensu and Esu deities in Igbo and 
Yoruba traditional religions.  

Ekwensu in Igbo Traditional Religion  

Alongside Ani and Amadioha, Ekwensu represents the testing force or power of 
Chukwu and constitute the greatest gods among the traditional Igbo. Metuh 
(1981) describes Ekwensu as the spirit of violence and patron of warriors and the 
Son of Chukwu. It possessess people who are quick to anger. It was a force of 
chaos and change and ruled over the wicked spirits and the chaotic forces of 
nature. Death was its perpetual companion.  

Ekwensu is also the god of bargains, very crafty at trade and negotiations. At 
moments of difficult mercantile negotiations, Ekwensu is invoked. Isichie (1969), 
records that among the Igbo of Asaba, there was a festival called Ekwensu 
festival, and it constituted their major annual feast, during which they displayed 
their military prowess.  This deity was invoked during times of war or conflict, 
however, was banished during peacetime to avoid his influences in the 
community, for it can incite bloodshed among the people. Usually, warriors set 
up shrines to Ekwensu to help war efforts and destroyed them after victory have 
been won. This deity was feared as much as Chukwu.  

 



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Figure 1: Image of Ekwensu Deity 

To be possessed by Ekwensu can bring about a person committing evil acts which 
are contrary to what Chukwu allows or against the humanity of human beings. 
Whenever an unfathomable act of evil is committed by someone considered 
incapable of such a crime, possession by Ekwensu is a common explanation. 
Without excusing the person's conduct, this attribution of the origins of such 
criminal depravity to a superhuman power allows the Igbo to acknowledge that 
there are some levels of inhumanity humans cannot reach on their own.  

Esu in Yoruba Traditional Religion  

In Yoruba pantheon, Esu (Eschu or Elegba) is one of the most powerful and 
temperamental but skillful Orisa, that is, a god (Samuel 2011). According to 
Toyin (2012), he is in charge of enforcing law and order. It was so popular among 
the Yoruba that every day of the four-day week of the Yoruba is its day of worship 
(Falokun 1993); its fame spread through the slave trade to Cuba, South America 
and the United States. He is a trick star god among the Yoruba and a messenger 
of not only Olodumare, but other Orisas; he is busy taking messages from heaven 
to the earth and conveying sacrifices from earth to heaven. He is the god of 
mischief and could make things difficult for people and requires constant 
appeasement if he must convey messages. He is greatly feared because of the 
mischief he is capable of. He is called Elegbara or Shigidi, which means the 
avenger.  

Esu has a very strong relationship with Orunmila because of the favour done him 
by Orunmila. In a battle with death, Esu lost his club, and Orunmila helped him 
to get it back. Since then, they have remained close friends. He has two hundred 
names, which speak of the broadness of his character. Ifa has several chapters, 
not less than two hundred and fifty-six. Each chapter is called the Odu, which 
contain from six hundred to eight hundred poems known as Ese Ifa. Each of these 
chapters is governed by an Esu. It is in this regard that Esu is said to possess a 
flexible form and can transform into 256 forms at will.  (Britannica 2021). 

He is always present as an inspector in matters of rituals and conduct, among 
divinities and human beings. Having inspected a ritual, his recommendation 
determines if the Supreme Being will accept the sacrifice or not; he stands before 
the Supreme Being accusing both human beings and divinities, especially when 
it is not properly fed with sacrifices (Kanu 2015); however, when he is given his 
due, he can be benevolent in terms of protection, no wonder, he is also called 
'Father'. He has eight errand boys called the Ajogun (evil spirits). When sacrifices 
are offered, he presents it to them that the victim might gain his or her freedom. 
It is the Esu that supervises and distributes sacrifices to the Ajogun. He protects 



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people from the evil mechanizations of malevolent spirits; no wonder he was very 
popular among the Yoruba traditional societies. Aiyejina (2015) describes Esu 
thus: 

In Yoruba philosophy, Esu emerges as a divine trickster, a disguise- artist, a 

mischief-maker, a rebel, a challenger of orthodoxy, a shape-shifter, and an 

enforcer deity. Esu is the keeper of the divine ase with which Olodumare 

created the universe; a neutral force who controls both the benevolent and the 

malevolent supernatural powers; he is the guardian of Orunmila's oracular 

utterances.  

Without Esu to open the portals to the past and the future, Orunmila, the 
divination deity would be blind. As a neutral force, he straddles all realms 
and acts as an essential factor in any attempt to resolve the conflicts 
between contrasting but coterminous forces in the world. ….He supports 
only those who perform prescribed sacrifices and act in conformity with 
the moral laws of the universe as laid down by Eledumare….. Without his 
intervention, the Yoruba people believe, no sacrifice, no matter how 
sumptuous, will be efficacious. Philosophically speaking, Esu is the deity 
of choice and free will. (pp. 1-16). 

 

Figure 2: Esu in Yoruba Religion  



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When the appropriate sacrifice is provided by a victim, he is capable of mediating 
between benevolent and malevolent spirits on behalf of the victim. If the sacrifice 
is not offered, Esu would not intervene. Thus, Esu was considered the intercessor 
god, that devotees of all the other orisas have to pay homage to (Meiji 2012). He 
is feared by both men and divinities and could be unpredictable; no wonder he is 
called A-bá-ni-wá-?Ìràn-bá-ò-rí-dá (He-who-creates-problems-for-
theinnocent) and È?ù ? ba ? dÌàrà (who has his abode at crossroads). Awolalu 
and Dopamu (1979) illustrated this fear thus: “Once Sango, the thunder divinity 
of Yorubaland, boasted that there was no divinity he could not subdue. But Esu 
asked him promptly whether he included him, and Sango immediately replied 
apologetically that he could not have been included” (p. 83). 

The Hellenization of Ekwensu and Esu 

The process of Hellenization employed by missionaries and scholars has changed 
the recent understanding of Ekwensu and Esu deities. While the nomenclatures 
(Ekwensu and Esu) remain unchanged, the content in terms of meaning has 
changed. This change is even more profound in places where these deities are not 
venerated among the Igbo or Yoruba. However, in places where they are 
venerated, the rich tradition handed on from one generation to another among the 
particular people or generation has made alterations difficult if not impossible.  

Among the Igbo, when the missionaries came, searching for categories within the 
Igbo culture that would help them explain scriptural 'personalities' such as the 
devil, lucifer or Satan, immediately saw in Ekwensu, Lucifer, the Father of lies 
and evil. It is in this regard that Mogo (2016) writes a poem titled 'Ekwensu' in 
which he decried the damage done to Ekwensu's identity and integrity: 

Violence to the language 
is violence to the soul is 
violence to a people is 
violence to their history is 
violence to their future is 
violence to their identity is 
tangible violence 

Like Ekwensu 

the trickster in our cosmology, simplified 
into a white God's black devil so chi 
became a white God and chukwu 
became a white God and ekwensu 
became evil this is what they do to us, 
simplify us fit our glory into a story 
where they are the hero flatten our hair, 



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our noses, our tongue whip us into 
conformity then blame us for the mess 
they left 

and the mess we have made 
of the mess that they left 

Sorry ekwensu 

for how they destroyed your reputation how 
they maligned your character how, because 
they did not understand you they decided to 
spread vicious lies about you 

you go on being you who 
cares what they say? 

Focusing on the Yoruba experience, Meiji (2012) connects the new 
understanding of Esu to the great African missionary, Samuel Ajayi Crowther. It 
was in 1821 that Ajayi was kidnapped from Osogun along with his mother and 
siblings and sold into slavery in the 19th Century. He later converted to 
Christianity and became one of the leading missionaries promoting Christianity 
in West Africa. He was also one of the leading translators of the bible into Yoruba 
language, especially for his converts who were mainly the Yoruba speaking 
people. While translating the scriptures, the name Jesus was Yorubanized to Jesu 
Kristi, but for the devil, an existing deity in Yoruba worldview, Esu was chosen 
and rebranded as the Christian devil. Oyeyemi (2012) argues in an article titled 
“Esu: The Revenge of Bishop Ajayi Crowther” that Ajayi Crowther did this 
rebranding on purpose so as to revenge his people's involvement in the slave trade 
that affected his family. He writes further in this regard thus: 

Esu, in Yoruba cosmology is not the Devil or Satan as has been and is 
being portrayed by Euro-Christian religious school of thought. Esu, in the 
authentic Yoruba concept, is the enforcer of the Will of Olodumare and 
not the equivalent of the Euro-Christian Devil/Satan who is out to 
undermine the work of the Almighty God (p.1). 

While Oyeyemi's position on the employment of Esu as the Yoruba devil by Ajayi 
Crowther as intention remains a very difficult position to verify, but the reality 
remains that the use of Esu for devil has led to several misconceptions. This is 
also true of the use of the concept Ekwensu for Satan. 

Conclusion 

Whoever the translators of the Christian scripture into African languages were, 
that led to the current misinterpretations and understandings, the reasons for such 



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rebranding or Hellenization remain overzealousness to present the Christian faith 
to their converts who were in the main African converts. This was also done in 
such a manner that reveals poor commitment on the part of the translators to go 
deeper and spend time in the quest for a more appropriate concept for Satan in 
African traditional languages. Moreover, if Jesus was Yorubanized as Jesu Kristi 
and Igbonized as Yesu Kristi, why was it difficult to do the same for Satan or 
devil in the same manner? 

Whatever names continue for these deities, the case remains that the introduction 
of these Igbo and Yoruba deities into Christianity, has led to the 
misunderstanding of their functions in traditional Igbo and Yoruba belief 
systems. This has led many to think that those who venerate Ekwensu and Esu 
are essentially the worshippers of the devil. The consequence of this new 
understanding is that it has set African traditional religion and Christianity in a 
conflict that would continue until this problem is resolved. 

A difficulty that this misinterpretation will continue to enhance is the challenge 
of inter-faith dialogue which should encourage cooperative, constructive, and 
positive interaction between people of different religious traditions or spiritual or 
humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. The belief in 
Ekwensu or Esu as the Christian Satan or devil makes it difficult for a cooperative 
interaction between Christians and the Igbo or Yoruba traditional worshippers.  

References  

Aiyejina F. (2015). Esu Elegbara: A Source of an Alter/Native Theory of 
African  

Literature and Criticism. https://fliphtml5.com/snvq/rajz/basic  

Ancient World History (2012). Hellenization. Retrieved 6th June 2021 from 
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Awolalu, J. O.& Dopamu, P. O. (1979). West African traditional religion. 
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Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Eshu". Encyclopedia Britannica, 
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Dele Meiji (2012). Esu is Not the Devil: How a Yoruba Deity Got Rebranded. 
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