The study, ‘Justice System and Social Change among the Esan People of Edo State, Nigeria,’ is set to examine the nature, structure and processes of the Esan system of jurisprudence within the socio-political and cultural context of the traditional society. The paper postulates that increased reliance on the indigenous Esan system of justice in checkmating crimes and other related offences would go a long way to restore the waning confidence of the people in the social control system, and enlist their moral, as well as their participatory responsibilities in accordance with the value system, and so render the criminal justice system more socially sensitive and better equipped to cope with the increasing demands of the administration of justice. The methodology adopted in writing this work is the primary and secondary sources and archival materials, including Colonial records.

Keywords: Justice System, Social Change, and Esan Society