If We Must Breathe Life Into Urhobo Progress Union
By Assin Godstime
LAGOS JULY 20TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, is the umbrella body through which Urhobo people are heard across boards. Through the UPU, Urhobo people spoke collectively in the past.
The UPU is almost a hundred years old. Founded in 1931 as the Urhobo Brotherly Society, it’s the oldest ethnic social-cultural group in Nigeria and second in Africa.
The UPU was founded to defend the Urhobo people against external forces, government neglect, intimidation of wealthy individuals, victimisation, oppression, and all kinds of societal vices. Through the UPU, Urhobo people have been heard at different times. Some of the successes of the UPU include the sending of two Urhobo sons, namely McNeil Gabriel Ejaife and Ezekiel Norucho Igho, abroad in pursuit of tertiary education. Both Urhobo sons became the first and second university-trained graduates, with Ejaife as the first. They later became principal and vice when Urhobo College admitted its first set of students in 1949.
Another remarkable feat of the UPU was the establishment of Urhobo College in Effurun. Since inception, the UPU has been outspoken in the affairs of Nigeria and was majorly led by prominent Urhobo sons who have made marks and names beyond Urhobo territory.
From Omorohwovo Okoro down to Aziza, the UPU was headed by prominent Urhobo sons who needed no introduction outside Urhobo territory. In case you do not know the past presidents, they are Olorogun Omorohwovo Okoro (1931-37), Olorogun Mukoro Mowoe (1937-48), Olorogun John Okpodu (1948-57), Olorogun Jabin Obahor (1957-61), Olorogun T. E. Salubi (1961-82), Dr. Frederick Esiri (1982-93), Olorogun Ogboko Edewor (1993-1998), General David Ejoor (1998-99), Olorogun Benjamin Okumagba (1999-2007), Olorogun Felix Ibru (2007-2010), General Patrick Aziza (2010-2014), Olorogun Joe Omene (2016-2019), Olorogun Moses Taiga (2019-2023), and the incumbent Olorogun (Barrister) Ese Gam.
Without mincing words, the UPU was sought after between 1931 and 2014, when Aziza died. Shortly after Aziza passed on, the UPU was hijacked by the Delta State government. The government dictated who became president afterwards. They ordered our kings to deliver those they preferred, and whoever the government wanted eventually won. Omene won on the basis of such government-induced favouritism. Ese Gam was also a beneficiary of the state government’s interest in UPU.
Taiga was begged to redeem Urhobo because he was the only one to match Omene at the time. Since the involvement of politicians in Urhobo affairs and the UPU, the Union has almost lost its identity and relevance. The Union goes as far as begging politicians for money to hold annual conventions and must first seek the government’s opinion before undertaking major decisions or actions.
Mukoro Mowoe, Salubi, and a few others were politicians in their time, but they didn’t trade Urhobo interest for selfish reasons. The ones now heading it no longer care about the greater good of the Urhobo people. The kings are not exempted; they too are now politicians. The only reason some of the kings are not yet partisan politicians is that they have not openly registered under a political party. Many of them secretly push their political will, unlike in the time of old. Politicians are now in charge of Urhobo affairs.
Just yesterday, which I have not forgotten too soon, it took the intervention of the government to install the UPU Youth Wing President. In the next election to come, the Delta State government will still have their way. They will install their servants to head the union once again. They need a mouth they can easily shut. They need a ‘legbere.’ They need a less vocal person. They need an overage person seeking more riches whom they can subject to monthly take-home and then shut his mouth for the duration of his office. This is how far the Delta State government has traded Urhobo. Okowa started it.
The incumbent governor has inherited his predecessor’s approach, but if pressured through the media, he might allow the wishes of the people to prevail. But have you noticed no government care about who heads other ethnic associations in Delta State? The government does this to intentionally divide us. They know that once we are united and speak in one voice, we’ll be difficult to conquer. We have the population in our favour. With our population we can easily dictate who governs Delta State when united and not in division, so to say.
The incumbent UPU president is a versatile lawyer, scholarly and accessible. But suffice it to say that he lacks the name outside Delta State to head Urhobo. His legal name is not enough. Urhobo should now go for a bigger fish with a ‘touch of national’ look. We can persuade Ibori, Agege, Oskar Ibru, Oyovbaire, Darah, and Onokerhoraye to succeed the incumbent.
Ibori was a governor and is well known nationally. With Ibori heading UPU, Urhobo will just be at the corridor of the presidency. Agege is another easy access to the presidency. Agege had been Deputy Senate President. Oskar being the son of Ibru is widely known. Oyovbaire was the most heard minister during the Babangida military era, being Minister for Information and widely known. His contact is large enough to facilitate Urhobo to greater heights. Darah is the only Nigerian editorial chairman of two national newspapers, The Daily Times and The Guardian. He had since registered his name in the sand of time and stands shoulder tall among Nigeria’s accomplished journalists. Onokerhoraye is the longest-serving vice chancellor of the University of Benin and is widely respected. Though some of these suggested personalities might cite age as an impediment, they can be persuaded to see light at the end of the day.
Then again, Urhobo people must collectively support whoever emerges after the Union has been reorganised. To reorganise the union is to truncate the control of the Delta State government over it. Urhobo people must now openly reject the Delta State government from presenting us with who leads us. Enough is enough. If the government fails to withdraw its dictatorship, I am sorry, the UPU will still continue to suffer reproach in the league of things. As is common with some of our people, your insults can now start coming in for speaking the truth to power.
Na once man dey die!
Assin Godstime can be contacted on phone number: 08165006012.
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