LAGOS JULY 6TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The lingering leadership struggle between Olorogun Moses and Chief Godwin Omene on whose is the authentic leader of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) seems not to have been over with the recent media war from both leaders over the recent inauguration of UPU Women Youth wing by Omene.
Erstwhile .President-General of UPU, who is still clamouring to be the authentic leader of UPU worldwide inaugurated UPU Women Youth wing where Lady Efedede Onajite and Lady Omemine Akpude have emerged President and Vice President respectively.
In a widely publicized ceremony, the group was inaugurated in a colourful ceremony held in Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State. The inauguration was reported in Vanguard Newspaper of July 5th, 2019 to have featured a large turnout of dignitaries, including the Bishop of Edo, Delta and Bayelsa Diocese of Christ Army Church of Nigeria, Bishop I. Akpojotor.
Joe Omene, who inaugurated the group, advised the young Urhobo ladies not to expect financial benefits their your new assignment.
“You should be focused and ready to contribute your quota to the development of Urhobo land, and as good ambassadors of Urhobo nation,” He advised.
Other Urhobo ladies who were inaugurated include Tessy Edjekowho, Emuobor Ighorojah, Edirin Oyibo, Patience Ogba, Voke Emakpor, Molly Obukowho, Akpomedaye Efedede, Orovwigho Oghare, Oghene Vivian, Okonji Glory, Rukky Akpobroka, Blessing Hans, Umukoro Ogheneochuko, Ogaru Rita and Vivian Oghenemaro,
Reacting to the publication in WarriToday.com, Olorogun Moses Oghenerume Taiga has described the formation and subsequent inauguration of “UPU Women Youth Wing” by Chief Joe Omene, as illegality taken too far.
It also described Omene, whose tenure as UPU President-General elapsed in December 6th 2016, as an interloper who has no both moral and constitutional power to function as President-General of Urhobo Progress Union one Nigeria’s most revered socio-cultural groups.
Taiga stated that the UPU’s constitution upon which every elected executive member of the body derived its power has no room or any structure as “UPU Women Youth Wing”, and described the body illegal in its entirety.
In a statement on Friday signed by the National Publicity Secretary of UPU, Hon. Abel Oshevire warned against usurping the authorities of the forum which at the moment are vested on Olorogun Taiga-led national leadership of UPU worldwide.
According to the statement, “The attention of the President General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), worldwide, Olorogun (Dr.) Moses Oghenerume Taiga, has been drawn to a story on page 33 of the Vanguard Newspaper of Friday, July 5, titled ‘UPU women youths wing elects leadership,’ and wishes to state categorically that the UPU has nothing like ‘women youths wing’ in its constitution.
“We wish to further state, unequivocally, for the umpteenth time, that Chief Joe Omene who purportedly carried out the inauguration of the non-existent body in his residence in Mosogar, is an impostor, whose tenure as President General of the UPU expired December 6, 2016, and has since ceased being a member of the UPU Executive.
“The Moses Taiga-led UPU Executive which was legally and constitutionally elected on January 2, 2017, at the UPU Cultural Center, Uvwiamughe- Agbarho, in Ughelli North LGA, remains the only recognised UPU body for the entire Urhobo Nation.”
Taiga, while warning the then President-General to stop parading himself as UPU executive, posited that Omene’s actions including the inauguration of the women body as another action that has greatly embarrassed and portrayed the Urhobo Nation in bad light
He stated that UPU’s activities are not conducted in personal homes, but rather at the Urhobo Cultural Center at Uvwiamughe or Okere Road Warri, the official headquarters of the UPU.
“However, against all wise counsel, Omene has continued to parade himself as the President General of UPU, to the chagrin of the Urhobo people, often saying and doing things that have greatly embarrassed and portrayed the Urhobo Nation and her people in bad light.
“One wonders why Omene who claims to be the President General of UPU will continue to use his private home in Mosogar for his so-called UPU activities, instead of the Urhobo Cultural Center at Uvwiamughe or Okere Road, the official headquarters of the UPU.
“We wish to use this medium to once appeal again to our people and Nigerians in general, to continue to see Omene as an interloper, seeking for relevance and recognition”, the statement further added.