Aspects of Thanksgiving Ceremonies of Urhobo Progress Union Held at Ovu, Urhoboland, on Sunday 29 November, 2009

For its 2009 Annual Conference, Urhobo Historical Society chose Ovu as the venue of its Thanksgiving Ceremonies that conclude the Society's Annual Conferences. By Urhobo standards, Ovu is a still small town. Yet it has produced the highest number of Presidents of Urhobo Progress Union. In accepting UHS's invitation as a Special Guest of Honour at the celebration, Olorogun Felix Ibru, President-General of Urhobo Progress Union, decided to honour the three Presidents of the Union who hailed from Ovu and are buried there. The Ovu Community also wanted the President-General to include the wives of two past Presidents who were also from Ovu and are buried in Ovu. The ensuing wreath-laying festivities together with colourful Thanksgiving Services as well as awards that were handed to recipients by Kings and other Urhobo leaders turned the Ovu celebrations into an unprecedented memorable occasion in the records of Urhobo Historical Society.

This page and several other pages that follow it convey a sense of the dignity of the celebrations.

Contents

Photo Gallery Home Page

Opening Ceremony

Academic Sessions

UHS Ovu Cultural Day

Memorial Wreath-Laying

Memorial Wreaths: Okoro

Memorial Wreaths: Okpodu

Memorial Wreaths: Salubi

Memorial Wreaths: Mrs. Mowoe

Memorial Wreaths: Mrs. Okumagba

UHS Thanksgiving Service

Awards Ceremony

Awards Ceremony: Chief Johnson Ukueku

Awards Ceremony: Chief E. K. Clark

Awards Ceremony: Onigu Otite

Awards Ceremony: Sam Erivwo

Awards Ceremony: Oghenekaro

Awards Ceremony: Felix Ibru

Awards Ceremony: Moses Taiga

Awards Ceremony: Ighomrore

Awards Ceremony: Gordon Mukoro

Awards Ceremony: J. Barovbe

Awards Ceremony: S. S. Obruche

Awards Ceremony: Oskar Ibru

Awards Ceremony: V. O. Akpobome

Awards Ceremony: C. Bakpa

Awards Ceremony: Helen Ekeh

Awards Ceremony: O. Oyiborhoro

Awards Ceremony: V. Obruche

Awards Ceremony: M. Barovbe

UPU President-General at Ovu

Urhobo Aristocracy at the Conference

Venerable Participants

Personalities at the Conference

ovie_agbon

His Majesty Okpara I, Ovie r' Agbon, reads a paper expressing pride in the greatness of the smallest cultural division in his kingdom that has produed such sterling Urhobo leaders as Chief Omorohwovo Okoro, Chief John Okpodu, and Chief T. E. A. Salubi and many others.

ejoor_kings

His Majesty Orhueh I, Orodje r' Okpe (left), His Majesty Okpara I, Ovie r' Agbon, and Chief General (rtd.) David Ejoor.
David Ejoor grew up at Ovu and attended the historic elementary school Isiokolo N.A. School at Agbon Headquarters. He served as the Chairman of the Thanksgiving ceremonies.

Enaohwo

Professor John Enaohwo, Vice-Chancellor, Delta State University and President of Ovu Union, welcomes Chief E. K. Clark to Ovu. Dr. Enaohwo was a Chief Co-Host of the Ceremonies..

barovbe_ivie

Chief Johnson Barovbe chats with His Majesty Orhueh I, Orodje r' Okpe and Okpara I, Ovie r' Agbon. Chief Barovbe, proprietor of Westminster Secondary School, Lagos, and a prominent Ovu businessman served as a Chief Co-Host of the Thanksgiving Ceremonies.

ibru_emuobo

Mrs. Emuobo Ibru, a leader of an Urhobo language development group in Lagos, reads a prepared statement on Urhobo language.

participant_1

Chiefly participants

part2

Participants from neighbouring Okpara Inland and Kokori Inland, Mr. Thaddeus Ekeh and Madan Cecilia Ekeh are at the left

part3

Participants from the Ovu Community.

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closing_prayers
His Majesty Ogoni-Oghoro I, Owhorode r' Olomu, brought the ceremonies to a close with stirring prayers.