| Urhobo Historical Society |
Culled from:
December 7, 2009
Urhobos
Reward Heroes,
Abhor Criminality
By Igho Otomewo
The Urhobos gathered in Effurun, Delta State last
week to honour some of their leaders,
reward hard work and
patriotism and at the same time, chart a path for the youths away from
criminal
tendencies.
WHENEVER
the Urhobos gather at any grand event, the
splendour is effectual. They come decked in
expensive
wrappers - George, Hollandis, lace
material and, in
ancient times, damask. The tying of the male wrappers is a wonder in
dexterity,
only equaled by the symmetry and aesthetics that go into the Urhobo
females'
tying of their own wrappers.
The
men
and women wear coral beads to match their exotic clothing. Sometimes,
it is
difficult to distinguish a monarch from his chiefs and other Urhobo
aristocrats. The male dressing is not complete without a beautiful cap,
a
walking stick and foot wears to match. It is culture at its zenith.
All
these
were on display last week when the Urhobo Historical Society (UHS)
called out the
young and aged, the monarchs and the aristocrats, the academia and the
politicians, the professionals and the fine minds of the Urhobos
in Diaspora and on the native soil in Delta State to reward hard work,
patriotism and encourage the youths to aspire to noble deeds only. The
back
slapping, camaraderie, the banter were interwoven with serious business
of the
three-day event that kicked off at the grounds of the Petroleum
Training
Institute (PTI), Effurun, and ended at Ovu
in Ethiope Local Council, all in Delta
State.
The
UHS
initiative of eradicating poverty and curbing violence within Urhobo
communities through expository lectures and roundtable interactions
could not
have come at a better time. The increasing level of armed robbery,
kidnapping
and other related crimes perpetrated by young people within the Niger
Delta
communities and its environs, gives course for great concern and if not
properly checked, may lead to a state of anarchy.
This
underscores the fact that there is the need for the Federal Government,
besides
aiming to bring an end to militancy and its related vices in the Niger
Delta
region through amnesty grants, dialogue and well-planned programmes
aimed at rehabilitating militants, is also to empower local communities
to
carry the fight against crime to the grassroots. There is also the need
for
members of these local communities to be enlightened on ways of
improving their
lives by putting endowments into good use. This indeed was the course
the UHS
sought to achieve within the Urhobo land space.
The
society, which came into existence in August 1999 and has Prof. Peter
Ekeh as
its chairman, was set up as a collaborative arm of the Urhobo Progress
Union
(UPU) and saddled with the onus of making research into, documenting
and
publishing works in Urhobo history and culture. In
addition, its
website, www.wadoo.org serves as a voice for the Niger Delta people on
issues
of oil pollution and environmental degradation.
UHS
also
propagates its mission of preserving the Urhobo historical and cultural
heritage through its yearly conferences. The eighth edition of the
Conference
tagged: "Peace and personal security in Urhoboland" took place
between November 27 and 29. The conference kicked off with lectures on
sundry
issues ranging from personal security, violence, farming, to job
creation and
climaxed with a thanksgiving service, book launch and award ceremony at
the Ovu Grammar School.
The
main
idea behind the theme of this year's conference, "Peace and personal
security in Urhoboland" was an attempt to engage the seasoned erudite
sons
of Urhobo towards proffering lasting solutions to the high rate of
unemployment
which has given vent to the increasing rate of violence and criminality
among
idle youths in the Niger Delta.
One
of
such lectures delivered at the conference was by Prof. Peter Eruotor of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka on the topic: "Challenges of cassava
farming in
Urhoboland: Problem and prospects".
The
don
underscored cassava farming as an income-generating venture which has
the
potential of creating jobs for a large number of people while
highlighting on
the uses of cassava and cassava products, constraints of cassava
farming and
strategies for overcoming such constraints.
He
urged
"government fiscal programmes should
address the
condition of the poor by making budgetary provision to cater for their
peculiar
needs. Urhobo people in this millennium should be able to exploit their
natural
and human resources to increase stock of wealth and ensure equity in
its
distribution. Since cassava farming will continue to be the main engine
of
growth of our economy, attention should be focused on it in an
integrative way
such that a smooth and orderly development will generate broad and
backward
linkages thereby propelling activity in all other sectors of the
economy,
especially in the manufacturing and service sectors. Indeed cassava is
the crop
that can fight poverty in Urhoboland".
The
enormity of violent crimes perpetrated by unscrupulous youths within
the Urhobo
communities as well as how it effects the peace, social and economic
security
of members of those entities were fully captured during two separate
plenary
sessions held on November 28, inside the PTI Conference Hall.
The
first
was on "Peace and personal security in Urhoboland", anchored by UPU's
first Deputy President, Chief (Gen.) Patrick Aziza, while the second
was on the
"Current methods for combating violence in Urhoboland". The President
General of Agbon Kingdom, Dr. Peter Obakponovwe led the deliberations.
During
the
plenary sessions, speakers highlighted the many instances of armed
robbery and
crimes, which have prompted many to flee some localities in their
droves, while
in some instances, indigenes abandoned pet projects that would have
brought
economic gains to their hometowns, due to harassment from youths. They
blamed
the prolonged stay of criminal elements in some communities on the
inefficiency
and corruption among men of the Police Force and other government
security
outfits.
According
to Obakponovwe, while suggesting best
methods for
combating crimes in Urhobo communities, the only tested and trusted
tool for
fighting crimes within local communities was the use of vigilante
outfits.
According to him, membership of these outfits should comprise of only
identifiable
members of the community who must possess a track record of efficiency
and
courage, and most importantly, they must maintain a clean slate in the
question
of integrity.
He
said:
"The vigilante group is a community-based organisation.
Since members of this group are indigenes of the community, they are
well
informed about the goings on there and can easily identify criminals
living
within their neighbourhoods. This has
helped them in
no small measure to carry out their duties with a high level of
efficiency,
which has in turn endeared them to the hearts of people living within
those
communities.
"Now,
rather than go to the Police to report crime, people prefer going to
the
vigilante because they feel they can contribute to the safety of lives
and property
in their surrounding without fear of being betrayed".
Other
intellectuals who delivered papers at the event are the Assistant
Director,
Water and Fisheries Research, NIFFER, New Bussa,
Prof. Solomon Ovie. He spoke on "Fish and
fisheries of Urhoboland: An investment option". This was followed by
Professor of Agronomy, University of Ibadan (IU), Malachy Akoroda
who spoke
on: "Root and tuber economy under a weakening ecology and culture".
All the lectures were apt, stimulating and practicable.
As
a way
of encouraging laudable virtues among the youths and in commemoration
of its
10th Anniversary celebration, UHS deemed it fit to hounor
the commitment, loyalty and selfless services of three past founding
fathers of
the UPU and some notable personalities. The awards went to three UPU
former
presidents and 15 others for their contributions to the Urhobo
nationality.
Those
honoured by way of naming awards after were
former UPU
presidents - Omorohwovo Okoro,
Chief Mukoro Mowoe
and Adogbeji Salubi. The awards include
the Omorohwovo
Okoro Co-Leadership Service Award, Chief Mukoro Mowoe
Service Award and
the Adogbeji Salubi Urhobo History Service
Award.
Receiving
the Omorohwovo Okoro
Co-Leadership Award are
Chief
Edwin Kiagbodo Clark for a lifetime of
steadfast
commitment to Urhobo welfare and for encouraging the virtues of
courage,
selflessness and good governance in Urhobo leadership; while for his
extraordinary patronage of UHS and for uncommon dedication to the
Society's
ideals, Olorogun Moses Taiga emerged one of the recipients.
Chief
Mukoro Mowoe
Service Award went
to Chief Johnson Ukueku for a lifetime of
selfless
leadership, using his own talents and resources for peerless leadership
in the
affairs of Urhobo subculture of Agbon and
his native Eku.
While
the Adogbeji Salubi Urhobo History Service
Award was
won by Prof. Onigu Otite. He was
picked for
his pioneering works and major achievements in the historiography and
anthropology of Urhobo and its subcultures and for a path-setting
ethnography
of the Okpe Kingdom of Urhoboland.
Also
awarded in the same category was Prof. Revd.
Samuel Erivwo who pioneered intellectual
exposition and analysis
of Christian missionary activities in Urhoboland, as well as carrying
out a
study of Urhobo traditional religion and writing the biography of
Bishop Agori Iwe.
Other
award recipients at the event include UPU President-General, Olorogun
Felix
Ibru, Olorogun Oskar Ibru, Dr. Helen E. Ekeh, Chief L. U. Ighomrore,
Chief Simpson S. Obruche, Chief Gordon Mukoro, Victoria Oti
Akpobome, Clementina
Bakpa, Chief Johnson Barovbe,
Victoria Obruche, Margaret Barovbe
and O. Oyiborhoro.
While
Rev. Canon Joseph A. Oghenekaro was
awarded the Ighrakpata Urhobo Language
Award for the advancement of
Urhobo language and for a leading role in the development of Urhobo
orthography
by Urhobo Language Committee.
The
presence of the cr�me de la cr�me in Urhoboland at the occasion
marked it as one of the biggest and most memorable gathering of Urhobo
people.
Other dignitaries present include His Royal
Majesty, Orhue
I, Orodje of Okpe
Kingdom;
His Royal Majesty, Okpara I, Ovie
r'Agbon; His Royal Majesty, Ogoni-Oghoro
I, Owhorode r'Olomu;
His
Royal Majesty Abe I, Ovie r'Uvwe,
amongst others.
According to Ekeh, this year's event was unique because it marked precedence in the history of the society, saying that for the first time, the virtue of past UPU founding fathers was being extolled.