The outgoing President-General of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Olorogun Moses Taiga, has urged the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, to resolve the lingering boundary dispute between the communities of Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh in Udu and Warri South West Local Government Areas of the state.
Olorogun Taiga made the appeal Thursday, December 1, 2022, on Day One of a 4-day programme of events for the 2022 Annual Urhobo National Congress and Urhobo National Day celebration, taking place at the Urhobo Cultural Centre, Uvwiamuge-Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area.
The 2022 National Congress of the Urhobo Progress Union has the theme: Repositioning The Urhobo Nation For Economic Prosperity.
Day One of the Congress at the Urhobo Cultural Centre, Uvwiamuge-Agbarho had in attendance an aerial of Urhobo traditional rulers and eminent sons and daughters of Urhobo nation both at home and in the Diaspora.
The outgoing President-General of UPU, Olorogun Moses Taiga, apart from urging Governor Okowa to settle the Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh boundary dispute also requested the governor to assist the helpless Urhobo communities in Umiaghwa-Abraka and across the River Ethiope, including Ovre-Eku and others in the disputed areas between Edo and Delta States, to experience peace and tranquillity.
Olorogun Taiga noted that PRESCO Plc has for too long oppressed, harassed and brutalised the communities, depriving the affected people of their livelihood and much-needed peace of mind, among other things.
“We also request Your Excellency’s intervention in the land dispute, which has resulted in the arrest of a Sapele Okpe youth leader, Obomine Ekariko, between the Sapele Okpe Community and a prominent indigene from our neighbouring ethnic group. UPU is also concerned about the Oghara Kingdom land in Otegbo, which was allegedly given to the Nigerian Army by our Itsekiri neighbour. We urge our Governor to help save lives by causing permanent resolutions to these disputes before the end of his administration,” The UPU PG further appealed.
Olorogun Taiga said under his leadership for six years the UPU was among others able to achieve the first phase and a quarter of the second phase of the renovation of the ultra-modern Urhobo Cultural Centre and the raising of the statutory capital required to establish the Okugbe Microfinance Bank which the UPU has since applied to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for registration and license to operate the bank.
Also, he said working with the Urhobo Studies Association, USA, and the Ewheya R’Urhobo, the UPU was successful in obtaining the approval of the Delta State Government and Federal Ministry of Education for the Urhobo Language Curriculum for primary and Junior Secondary Schools.
The outgoing UPU PG said the establishment of the Mukoro Mowoe University could not be realised despite the efforts of his leadership to do so due to some challenges bordering on funding, logistics and procedural and administrative.
He said, “For instance, we contended with the location because each town and community provided reasonable grounds for hosting the proposed University.
“The economic constraints caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and its consequential dwindling effect on the global economy, also posed significant challenges.”
Olorogun Taiga however assured that the UPU’s dream of establishing the university is a project near and dear to their hearts which must be accomplished and appealed to all who supported to make his tenure a huge success.
There were goodwill messages from the Urhobo Historical Society, UPU United Kingdom, UPU Ireland, Urhobo Social Club and other organisations.
The traditional rulers of Oghara and Uvwie Kingdoms as well as the Delta State Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Deacon Kennedy Pela, who was the only governorship candidate present on day one of the UPU 2022 National Congress commended the Olorogun Moses Taiga and his leadership for stabilising and repositioning the Union.
Day One of the Congress was concluded with a session for the Urhobo Economic Summit, with Professor Christopher Orubu of the Delta State University, Abraka, as the keynote speaker on the theme for the Congress, “Repositioning The Urhobo Nation For Economic Prosperity”.
Day Two of the Congress on Friday, December 2, 2022, will feature an award ceremony/Urhobo National Cultural Day.
While Day Three will be for elections/swearing-in of new officers of the UPU.
