LAGOS NOVEMBER 25TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Barely a week to the election of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) President-General and executive members, sons and daughters of Urhobo Progress Union America (UPUA) has announced the adoption of Urhobo Philanthropist and business tycoon, Olorogun Moses Taiga as the President General of UPU (Worldwide).
The group said based on consultations and evaluation of the candidates, they in Urhobo Progress Union America (UPUA) has unanimously resolved to endorse and support Olorogun Moses Taiga for the post of President General of UPU Worldwide in the upcoming election.
UPUA is America branch of UPU Worldwide and umbrella organization of Urhobo sons and daughters residing in the United States of America and Canada.
The adoption of Taiga by Urhobos residing in America made it three important Urhobo Organisations worldwide that have adopted Taiga as President-General of UPU Worldwide. Before this recent pronouncement, Urhobo Social Club, Lagos and Urhobo Historical Society based in United States did not only drafted Taiga into the race, the two influential groups in Urhobo nation equally adopted him as the President General of UPU in the coming election.
Making the pronouncement in a communiqué dated November 24th, 2016, signed by UPUA BOT members, the organization requested all Urhobo leaders, organizations, women, youth and professionals to support Olorogun Moses Taiga saying that the upcoming election is likea “tide in the affairs of men” which can lead to fortune if the correct choice is made or to misfortune and continued misery of Urhoboland if the wrong choice is made.
“The election of Olorogun Moses Taiga is the correct choice. For those who are still undecided, please support Olorogun Moses Taiga.In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort, but where he stands in times of controversy and difficulty,” the communiqué explained.
Givig reasons why Taiga should be giving the opportunity, the group stated,” Olorogun Taiga is most qualified for the position. He has virtually all the desirable qualities of a good and effective leader.To paraphrase Shakespeare, all the qualities of a good leader are mixed in him. Among others, he is visionary, trustworthy, selfless, ethical, approachable, very generousand very knowledgeable on local national and international issues, policies, procedures and norms. He is a man of high integrity, a very good team player with a very good sense of humour.
“He is a very successful national and international businessman and has varied experiences and network that will benefit UPU and the Urhobo Nation. An alumnus of the University of Lagos and a Chartered Accountant, Moses Taiga started his career at the Federal Ministry of External Affairs and then moved to the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB). In 1980, he joined Phillips Oil Company of Nigeria Limited, an American oil company, where he occupied various positions including Finance Director, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the company. He is the first Urhoboman to lead amajor multinational oil company in Nigeria. He retired from the company in 1997 after twenty four years of meritorious and unblemished service. Though retired, he has established several companies thereby providing employment to many Urhobo youth and professionals. He is currently the Chairman of EXECON Holdings Ltd, a group of companies with interests in oil, shipping and finance. He is a leader in many national and international organizations including Rotary Club and Freemasonry Fraternity dedicated to serving humanity and promoting ethical standards and good governance in business, non-profit organizations and the public sector.
“Olorogun Taiga is a renowned philanthropist and a community leader. For instance, one of his companies, the Niger-Benue Transport Company awards university scholarships every year to indigenes of Ovwian community in Udu LGA to study accounting, marine engineering and medicine. Every year, he distributes food items to every community in Olomu as Christmas gift. He provides monthly allowances to the oldest man and oldest woman in Okpare and Ovwian communities.He was one of the major donors to the Urhobo Cultural Center project. His regular support for the Urhobo Historical Society (UHS) has enabled the organization to continue its mission of researching and documenting the Urhobo history.He financed a modern building for the Catholic Church in his hometown, Okpare, and he is the President of the Olomu Development Union.
“Olorogun Taiga has laid out a realistic vision and a concrete, measurable and time-bound program of action which includes renovation/completion of the UPU Headquarters and Urhobo Cultural Center at Uvwiamughe, renovation/expansion of Urhobo College Effurun, establishment of Urhobo University to be named after Mukoro Mowoe, establishment of a microfinance bank for Urhobo women, and rehabilitation of trade centers and technical schools in Urhoboland to enhance youth skills acquisition, youth empowerment and employment and thus reduce youth unemployment and restiveness in Urhoboland. He has also promised to hold regular consultation with key UPU stakeholders including UPUA for advice and to review UPU programs and projects.
“Olorogun Taiga is the only one who represents “change”. Most of the other candidates have been involved directly or indirectly in the administration of the UPU in recent years, a period that has largely been characterized by lack of progress and anomie in Urhoboland.
“Olorogun Taiga has not been and is not involved in partisan politics. We believe that one of the root causes of the UPU crises in recent years is the involvement of some PGs of UPU and members of National Executive Committee in partisan politics. Article 10 1(a) 12 of the UPU Constitution provides: “The President-General shall not be in partisan politics.” However, some past PGs and some of the candidates in the upcoming election have been or are actively engaged in partisan politics which limits their abilities to build consensus and negotiate effectively for Urhobo interest in a multiparty system.
“There is an element of providential intervention of the candidacy of Olorogun Moses Taiga. It appears that he is “God-sent” at a time of dire need of a selfless, ethical and effective leaderfor UPU. It is similar to the way God sent Moses to lead the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt some 3,500 years ago to the Promised Land. Olorogun Taiga is the “Moses” of our time!”

BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE COMMUNIQUE

Urhobo Progress Union America (UPUA)
A Nonprofit Organization
P.O. Box 710251, Houston, TX 77271-1481
www.upuamerica.org

COMMUNIQUEON THE ELECTION OF A NEW PRESIDENT-GENERAL OF UPU
November 24, 2016

Preamble:

The Urhobo Progress Union America (UPUA) is a nonprofit and nonpolitical umbrella organization of Urhobo sons and daughters who reside in the United States of America and Canada. UPUA is a branch of UPU Worldwide, the umbrella organization of Urhobo people in Delta State, Nigeria.The UPUA Board of Trustees (BOT) comprises the Presidents of the various UPUA Chapters which are spread out all over the U.S. and Canada and the National President. The BOT established a Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) comprising of some eminent members of UPUA to examine the challenges and strategic issues affecting the Urhobo people and how to resolve them, as well as the development of Urhoboland. The SPC serves as a Think Tank for UPUA.
Since June 2015, the SPC has held several face-to-face meetings and teleconferences with some Urhobo leaders and key players in the crisis which engulfed the UPU leadership in the aftermath of the Uvwiamughe Declaration on March 28th, 2014 andthe national and state elections in Nigeria in March and April 2015. These events led to accusations,serious disagreements and factions within the ranks of the National Executive Committee of UPU under the leadership of Chief Joe Omene.
In December, 2015, UPUA endorsed the Vote of No Confidence passed on Chief Omene’s National Executive Committee by the Council of Urhobo Traditional Rulers (Ukoko R’Ivie)of the Urhobo Nation)and theForum of Presidents-Generals of the 24 Urhobo kingdoms and the setting up of a Caretaker Committee led by Chief Gabriel Ofotokun to pilot the affairs of the UPU and to review the UPU Constitution before a new election in December 2016. We also made concrete proposals to the Caretaker Committee to strengthen UPU and ensure good leadership to avoid recurring crises that has become the trademark of the Union since the mid 1980s.However, following the court action instituted by Chief Omene challenging the above decision and demanding for N1 billion in damages from the Council of Urhobo Traditional Rulers and Forum of President-Generals of the Urhobo kingdoms, a Reconciliation Committee led by Major-General Obada facilitated an out-of-court settlement and restored the Omene-led NEC to complete its three-year tenure ending in December 2016 when a new President-General will be elected for the Union.
Resolution:
We support the efforts of the Reconciliation Committee as a vehicle for avoiding a long-drawn legal tussle that could cripple the UPU and a step towards installing a more effective leader for UPU. We are hopeful that the elections planned for the first week of December 2016 during the Annual Urhoho National Congress will usher in a new President General who has the desirable qualities of a good and effective leader. Thus, over the past months, the SPC has consulted extensively with some Urhobo Kings (Ivie), President-Generals of the Urhobo Kingdoms, other Urhobo leaders and organizations as well as some of the candidates who have indicated their interests in contesting the election for the position of President General of the UPU.
Based on our consultations and evaluation of the candidates,the Urhobo Progress Union America (UPUA) has unanimously RESOLVEDto endorse and support Olorogun Moses Taiga for the post of PG of UPU Worldwide in the upcoming election. Our decision is based on the following:
17) Olorogun Taiga is most qualified for the position. He has virtually all the desirable qualities of a good and effective leader.To paraphrase Shakespeare, all the qualities of a good leader are mixed in him. Among others, he is visionary, trustworthy, selfless, ethical, approachable, very generousand very knowledgeable on local national and international issues, policies, procedures and norms. He is a man of high integrity, a very good team player with a very good sense of humour.
18) He is a very successful national and international businessman and has varied experiences and network that will benefit UPU and the Urhobo Nation. An alumnus of the University of Lagos and a Chartered Accountant, Moses Taiga started his career at the Federal Ministry of External Affairs and then moved to the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB). In 1980, he joined Phillips Oil Company of Nigeria Limited, an American oil company, where he occupied various positions including Finance Director, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the company. He is the first Urhoboman to lead amajor multinational oil company in Nigeria. He retired from the company in 1997 after twenty four years of meritorious and unblemished service. Though retired, he has established several companies thereby providing employment to many Urhobo youth and professionals. He is currently the Chairman of EXECON Holdings Ltd, a group of companies with interests in oil, shipping and finance. He is a leader in many national and international organizations including Rotary Club and Freemasonry Fraternity dedicated to serving humanity and promoting ethical standards and good governance in business, non-profit organizations and the public sector.
19) Olorogun Taiga is a renowned philanthropist and a community leader. For instance, one of his companies, the Niger-Benue Transport Company awards university scholarships every year to indigenes of Ovwian community in Udu LGA to study accounting, marine engineering and medicine. Every year, he distributes food items to every community in Olomu as Christmas gift. He provides monthly allowances to the oldest man and oldest woman in Okpare and Ovwian communities.He was one of the major donors to the Urhobo Cultural Center project. His regular support for the Urhobo Historical Society (UHS) has enabled the organization to continue its mission of researching and documenting the Urhobo history.He financed a modern building for the Catholic Church in his hometown, Okpare, and he is the President of the Olomu Development Union.
20) Olorogun Taiga has laid out a realistic vision and a concrete, measurable and time-bound program of action which includes renovation/completion of the UPU Headquarters and Urhobo Cultural Center at Uvwiamughe, renovation/expansion of Urhobo College Effurun, establishment of Urhobo University to be named after Mukoro Mowoe, establishment of a microfinance bank for Urhobo women, and rehabilitation of trade centers and technical schools in Urhoboland to enhance youth skills acquisition, youth empowerment and employment and thus reduce youth unemployment and restiveness in Urhoboland. He has also promised to hold regular consultation with key UPU stakeholders including UPUA for advice and to review UPU programs and projects.
21) Olorogun Taiga is the only one who represents “change”. Most of the other candidates have been involved directly or indirectly in the administration of the UPU in recent years, a period that has largely been characterized by lack of progress and anomie in Urhoboland.
22) Olorogun Taiga has not been and is not involved in partisan politics. We believe that one of the root causes of the UPU crises in recent years is the involvement of some PGs of UPU and members of National Executive Committee in partisan politics. Article 10 1(a) 12 of the UPU Constitution provides: “The President-General shall not be in partisan politics.” However, some past PGs and some of the candidates in the upcoming election have been or are actively engaged in partisan politics which limits their abilities to build consensus and negotiate effectively for Urhobo interest in a multiparty system.
23) There is an element of providential intervention of the candidacy of Olorogun Moses Taiga. It appears that he is “God-sent” at a time of dire need of a selfless, ethical and effective leaderfor UPU. It is similar to the way God sent Moses to lead the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt some 3,500 years ago to the Promised Land. Olorogun Taiga is the “Moses” of our time!
24) Finally, we request all Urhobo leaders, organizations, women, youth and professionals support Olorogun Moses Taiga.
In view of the above, we appeal to all Urhobo kings, the PGs of the kingdoms, the Presidents of all UPU branches and all the delegates to the upcoming UPU Congress, women leaders and youth to unanimously adopt Olorogun Moses Taiga as a consensus candidate for the position of PG of UPU. In particular, we appeal to all the voting delegatesto vote for Olorogun Moses Taiga.We also appeal to the other candidates to unequivocally support Olorogun Moses Taiga for the betterment of the Urhobo Nation, and to refrain from any action that will be inimical to a peaceful election.
We make bold to say thatthe upcoming election is likea “tide in the affairs of men” which can lead to fortune if the correct choice is made or to misfortune and continued misery of Urhoboland if the wrong choice is made. The election of Olorogun Moses Taiga is the correct choice.For those who are still undecided, please support Olorogun Moses Taiga.In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort, but where he stands in times of controversy and difficulty “. We stand for Olorogun Moses Taiga. We appeal to all Urhobo sons and daughters to support and stand for Olorogun Moses Taiga.
God bless Olorogun Moses Tiaga.
God bless UPU and the Urhobo people
God bless Delta State,God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Signed by:
UPUA BOT Members
? Mrs. Grace Ophori, Chair BOT & President, Urhobo Association (UA) of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
? Dr. Michael Ukwade, President, UPUA, and Head of UPUA’s Executive Committee
? Ms. Fanti Riebelle, President, Urhobo Progress Union, Southern California (UPUSC).
? Mr. Godwin Okoro, President Urhobo Progress Union, Northern California (UPUNC)
? Mr. Cletus Akatugba, President, Urhobo Progressive Association (UPA), Houston
? Mr. Michael Okwata, President, Urhobo Progress Union Chicagoland (UPUC)
? Mr. Morris Egon, President, Waado Progressive Union of Great Kansas City
? Mr. Godwin Adun, President, Urhobo Association of Arizona (UAA)
? Mr. John Asamaigor, President, Urhobo Association of Georgia (UAG)
? Mr. Robinson Ukavwe, President, Urhobo Progress Union, Michigan
? Mrs. Claudia Achoja, President, Urhobo Progress Union Delaware Valley (UPUDV)
? Mr. Sam Ogaga, President, Urhobo Association of Middle Tennessee (UAMT)
? Mr. Felix Eruotor, President, Urhobo Progressive Union of Minnesota
? Dr. Duke Okoro, President, Urhobo Progress Union Calgary
? Mr. Oghenero Irorobeje, Urhobo Progress Union, Las Vegas

UPUA Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) Members
Chris Israel Uvieghara, Esq. (SPC Chairman) Dr. Emmnanuel Ojameruaye (SPC Secretary)
Dr. Michael Ukwade (UPUA President) Mrs. Grace Ophori (UPUA BOT Chair)
Mr. Monday Anigboro (SPC Member) Dr. Augustine Atiyota (SPC Member)
Major Cletus Obahor, rtd. (SPC Member) Rev. (Dr.) Raymond Ogbemure (SPC Member)
Dr. Johnson Ojo (SPC Member) Dr. Cameroon Whiteru (SPC Member)
Dr. Duke Ophori (SPC Member)

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