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Omene
Slams Ekeh over Mosogar
Comments by Chief Joe Omene
Published front page of The Urhobo Voice, May 12, 2008
PRESIDENT-General
of Mosogar Development Union (MDU), Chief
Joe Omene has slammed Prof. Peter Ekeh, founding Chairman and Editor
of Urhobo Historical Society
(UHS), over his recent comments that the recent creation and
recognition of
Chief Omene reacted to Prof. Ekeh�s
comment while speaking with newsmen
at Mosogar recently.
According
to him: �The man (Prof. Ekeh) is not a good story teller because if he
was one,
he would have known before now that the word Mosogar
and the word Idjerhe are not the same. They have two different Oguedion
(traditional ruling council). We celebrate different Iyere
festival. We have different celebrations.�
Continuing,
the Ejorofo of Mosogar
said that
Jesse and Mosogar came together because
the white man
joined them for administrative convenience. �That does not make them
the same
people he said pointing out that Ughelli,
for example
has many kingdoms because �they re Ughelli
people.�
Chief
Omene asked: �Why are Ughelli
people divided into various kingdom? Is the
word Ughelli a misnormer?
Ekeh should
think about himself and how he is going to developed
his community in Urhoboland and not how he is going to cause confusion
in
various communities.�
The
PG of MDU
noted that he was not bothered by the statement of Prof. Ekeh because
the
president General of UPU, Olorogun Felix Ibru, has said that the trend of new kingdoms
was a welcome
development provided they meet the requirements.
Chief
Omene also said that the people he
respected in Urhobo land
were those who could bring development to their people, pointing out
that Mosogar people were proud of their
ability to develop their
community with or without government aid.
�For
example, we
have the largest and the most beautiful town hall in Urhoboland without
government input. We have the largest and most beautiful Civic Centre
also in
Urhobo land, which no other community has been able to match without
one kobo
from government. Mosogar is currently
building one of
the largest palaces in Urhoboland which can match the palace of the Orodje of Okpe
kingdom. We are
the only community in Urhoboland that has its own swimming poll,� chief
Omene added.
He further stated that the clamour for Mosogar Kingdom started in 1988, noting that there were three sub-clans in Jesse, namely Mosogar, Jesse Central and Onyobru, advising that those who have the means should form a body that would develop Jesse in order to create employment for the youths, instead of dissipating energy on the creation of Mosogar kingdom.
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