Exploring Esan’s Ihuan Festival: Strategies for Legacy and Leadership in Family Businesses
For the established Diaspora leader or the head of a multi-generational family business, the word “harvest” often carries a corporate connotation, quarterly returns, the culmination of a five-year strategic plan, or the successful exit from a long-held venture. However, for the Esan people of Edo State, Nigeria, the harvest is not merely a fiscal milestone; it is a spiritual and ancestral accountability report.
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The New Yam Festival, known as Ihuan, is the heartbeat of Esanland. It is the moment when the labor of the past year meets the grace of our ancestors. But beyond the drumming and the feasting lies a profound lesson for today’s global leaders: How do you transform temporary success into a permanent legacy?
As we explore the intricate rituals of Ihuan, we see a blueprint for how modern founders and family dynasties can use their own “harvests”, their stories and expertise, to build an undeniable authority that lasts for generations.
The Anatomy of IHUAN: More Than a Celebration
In Esan culture, yam is not just a tuber; it is the “King of Crops.” Historically, a man’s wealth and status in communities like Uromi, Igueben, and Ekpoma were measured by the size of his yam barn.
The Ihuan festival, typically held between August and October (though some clans celebrate as late as December), serves three primary functions that mirror the needs of a modern high-value brand:
- Validation of Leadership: The Onojie (traditional ruler) must perform the first rites. Until the king eats the new yam, the community cannot. This reinforces the hierarchy and the responsibility of the leader to provide for and protect the people.
- Ancestral Alignment: The festival begins with sacrifices to the deities and ancestors. It is a public acknowledgment that success is never a solo effort; it is built on the foundations laid by those who came before.
- The “Bridge” to the Future: By celebrating the harvest, the Esan people ensure that the younger generation understands the value of labor, the sanctity of the land, and the importance of community cohesion.
The Power of Ritual in Brand Longevity
In the world of premium family businesses, we often talk about “Brand Heritage.” The Esan people have practiced heritage branding for centuries through the Ihuan.
See also The History Of Esan People Of Nigeria
Consider the ritual of discarding the old yams before consuming the new. In a business context, this represents strategic evolution. To stay relevant for 50 or 100 years, a family business must honor its roots while making room for new “crops”, new technologies, new methodologies, and new leadership.
Data from the Family Business Institute suggests that only 3% of family businesses survive into the fourth generation. Why? Often, it is because the “story” of the harvest, the why behind wealth, is lost in translation. The IHUAN festival ensures the story is never lost. It is drummed into the soil and danced into the memories of the youth.
Transforming Cultural Rites into Intellectual Assets
At AClasses Media, we work with Diaspora leaders who have spent 20+ years building “barns” full of knowledge. Like the Esan farmer at the end of a successful season, these leaders are sitting on a massive harvest. The question is: How do you package that harvest?
We utilize methodologies such as Photo Elicitation Technique (PET), a process used by our lead consultant, Obehi Ewanfoh, in Verona, Italy. By looking at the “images” of your journey, much like the sacred dances of the Onojie, we help you extract the hidden values and proprietary methodologies that made your success possible.
For an Esan leader, Ihuan is the “Legacy Video” of their year. It is a cinematic, sensory experience that tells the world: “This is who we are, this is what we have achieved, and this is why we will endure.”
From the Farm to the Boardroom: Three Ways to Immortalize Your Harvest
If you are a Diaspora CEO or a multi-generational business owner, you can apply the principles of the New Yam Festival to your own legacy strategy:
1. Codify Your “Secret Soil” (The Legacy Signature Program)
The Esan farmer knows exactly which soil yields the best yams. You, too, have a unique “soil”, a specific way you solve problems that no one else can replicate.
We help you transform this into a Signature Program. This isn’t just a service; it is your proprietary methodology, packaged as a high-value asset that defines your brand’s authority.
2. Write Your “Ancestral Record” (The Legacy Book)
The stories told during Ihuan are the oral history of the clan. For a modern leader, a Legacy Book serves as your definitive record. It combines your personal story with your professional expertise.
It is the “message in a bottle” for the next generation, ensuring that 50 years from now, your descendants and your industry know exactly how you built your empire.
3. Visualize Your “Sacred Dance” (The Legacy Video)
The drumming and dancing of the New Yam Festival are not just for entertainment; they are a visual declaration of prosperity. A Legacy Video acts as your brand’s cinematic monument.
It captures the “why” behind your existence, translating your 20+ years of struggle and triumph into a powerful narrative that builds instant trust with premium clients.
The Esan Identity: A Lesson in Differentiation
What makes the Esan people “Proudly Esan”? It is their refusal to let their culture dilute. Even in the Diaspora, the mention of Ihuan brings a sense of belonging and prestige.
For the established Black founder in the US or UK, your “cultural depth” is your greatest market differentiator. In an era of AI-generated content and faceless corporations, human story and heritage are the only things that cannot be disrupted.
Whether you are celebrating the harvest in Edo State or closing a multi-million dollar deal in London, the principle remains: He who owns the story, owns the future.
Conclusion: What is Your Harvest in Telling the World?
The New Yam Festival teaches us that a harvest ignored is a harvest wasted. You have spent decades tilling the soil of your industry. You have weathered the storms of the market and the droughts of the economy. Your “barn” is full.
But without a strategic way to package that story, your legacy risks ending with your retirement.
At AClasses Media, we don’t just write articles; we build monuments out of memories. We take the “Ihuan” of your life, your greatest achievements and hardest-won lessons and turn them into the Legacy Book, Video, or Signature Program that will define your name for the next century.
Your legacy is your most valuable asset. Before the season passes, let’s talk about how to immortalize it. Don’t let your 20+ years of expertise remain in a hidden harvest.
Book your free 15-minute Legacy Strategy Call today to design the asset that will tell your story for the next 50 years. Book Your Free 15-Min Legacy Call Now
