LAGOS FEBRUARY 15TH (URHOBOTODAY)-President-General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide, Olorogun Moses Taiga has proposed subscription worth N20m as prominent sons and daughters of Urhobo land are mobilising funds to set up a micro finance bank to cater for the needs of the Ewheya (women) and Ighelle (youngsters) of Urhobo land.
A fundraising committee to raise the funds was recently inaugurated by Olorogun Moses Taiga with Mr. Abraham Ogbodo as Chairman, Mr. Francis Ewherido, Vice chairman and Dr. Benson Uwheru as Secretary.
Speaking during the inauguration Olorogun Moses Taiga disclosed, “The beginning of a journey like this always looks tedious and uncertain, but I encourage you not to be deterred by this small beginning. My dream is that this seemingly small effort, like a mustard seed, will metamorphose into a big bank like Wema Bank someday, hopefully in my life time.
” I have been informed of the discussion of whether or not the UPU should have a stake in the microfinance bank. Please I leave that to you to discuss as part of your mandate. But like other Urhobos, I feel members of the UPU Executive should have the privilege to make personal subscription. In line with this thinking, I am proposing to have a subscription worth N20m if your guidelines permits that for an individual subscriber. My payment will be made whenever the committee is ready for subscribers to make payments.
“The UPU had hoped to formally inaugurate this committee since December at Uvwiamughe, but a physical inauguration is not feasible for now because members of the committee are scattered all over the world and we have to take cognizance of the peculiar times we operate in due to COVID-19.
“However, if the committee is working virtually, it also means it can be inaugurated virtually. In the light of this, I, Olorogun Moses Oghenerume Taiga, President General of Urhobo Progress Union Worldwide, formally inaugurate the Okugbe Microfinance Bank Fundraising Committee to the glory of God and benefit of the Urhobo Ewheya and Ighelle, in particular, and the Urhobo Nation, in general.”
A statement made available to Urhobotoday by the Okugbe Bank fund Rasing Committee disclosed that the mandate of the committee is to raise an initial N300m to enable the bank commence as a unit, adding that the second phase of the project is to raise N1.5b to enable the bank get a state-wide status so that it can cover all the nooks and crannies of Urhobo land.
To raise the initial N300m, the committee is targeting 300 Urhobo sons and daughters resident in Nigeria and abroad, who can invest a minimum of N1m in the bank. So far 98 individuals and 10 Urhobo associations have indicated interest to invest in the bank, according to Ogbodo, a former Editor of The Guardian.
Other members of the committee are Prof. Joe Abugu (SAN), Mr. Fred Ohwawha, Mr. Ted Okumakube, Mr. Johnson Agagbo, Mr. Eddy Odivwri, Dr. Bernice Dema, Mr.Obaro Osa, Dr. Abel Ojo, Mr. Friday Ebojor, Mr. Steve Ighomuaye, Mr.Ibunor Agama, Chief Kenneth Iwhewhe, Mr. Kenneth Young, Mr. Lucky Sargin and Rume Ophi.