HUNDREDS of sons and daughters of Urhobo land, last weekend, gathered, amid fanfare, to mark the 87th annual national congress of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) at Mosogar, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.
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President-General of UPU, Chief Joe Orode Omene, at the occasion, warned that the Urhobo nation would not bow to any form of intimidation whether from individuals or government.
He lamented the untoward activities of some alleged unpatriotic Urhobos, whom he averred, were conniving with a self-confessed Ijaw man to cause disunity among Urhobos.
Omene said all efforts to reposition Urhobo to her rightful place and direction had been perpetually thwarted by some unpatriotic Urhobos in alliance with a factional UPU leader who is allegedly not of Urhobo stock.
“Why we will not relent in fighting the course of the Urhobo, we will not hesitate to bring to the public domain that about two years ago, some unpatriotic Urhobos collaborated with some traditional rulers, Delta State government and installed an Ijaw man as UPU President General.
“Since January 2nd 2016, that they conducted a purported parallel election without the invitation and participation of all constitutionally recognised delegates with heavy military presence, we have been carrying out our activities despite government harassment and intimidation.
“We have remained undaunted and ensure that the governance of UPU is never hijacked and handed to a self confessed Ijaw man”, Chief Omene retorted.
Omene stated that his executive committee met about 36 branches of UPU without a single kingdom branch in Urhobo land, noting that before the crisis, the committee had been able to establish 22 branches of the 24 kingdoms of Urhobo nation.
He stressed that before the crisis two years ago, the committee established UPU branches in other parts of Africa, Europe and Asia.
According to him, but for the current crisis bedevilling the UPU, more branches would have been inaugurated in many other countries of the world.
Cultural troupes, such as EMAH dance group of Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North Local Government Area, showcased the rich cultural nuances of the largest homogenous ethnic nationality in Delta State.
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