The Urhobo People International Assembly, a body of the elite class of Urhobo men and women, who are committed to fighting for the interest and integrity of the Urhobo Nation, has declared their position on the ongoing shameful leadership tussle between the two factions of the Urhobo Progress Union led by Chief Moses Taiga and Chief Joe Omene.
National President of UPIA, Hon Dr Keston Okoro Mohammed Al-Amin, in a statement, condemned the pretentious stance of many Urhobo leaders, who he said live in self denial of the obvious division in Urhobo leadership.
‘’We are only deceiving ourselves if we say that the ongoing UPU administration has no factions and of course it’s on record and duly justified by history that since 1930 when UPU was establishment factions came into existence and so we have experienced such degree of shame before he whole world from the aforementioned two factions of Chief Moses Taiga and Chief Joe Omene
‘’From the spirit of the above we hereby enjoin the two factions of the Urhobo Progress Union to drop their differences and unite not only ahead of the 2023 polls but for the best and general interest and future of Urhobo Nation otherwise, Urhobo will rise up against both factions to end the show of shame that has reduced the worth of Urhobo nation over the years’’.
Releasing the statement to newsmen in Asaba, the National President of the group, Hon Dr Liege-Lord Keston Okoro Mohammed Al-Amin, noted that the two factions of the Urhobo Progress Union represents a major statement on the discipline and characters of Urhobo leaders who live in self denial of the existing factions while the different statements that emanate from the factions continue to bring embarrassment to Urhobo nation which is billed to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the UPU by December 2021.
Hon Dr Keston Okoro Al-Amin, a former member of the Delta State House of Assembly condemned in strong terms, the continued denial of the both factions of UPU without taking steps to end the imbroglio, stressing that while ignoring the faction may be a strategy, the battle for 2023 must be fought on a united platform instead of exposing Urhobo to disparate tendencies and attack from devious enemies, who may capitalize on this situation to hurt the journey towards returning an Urhobo man to government house in 2023.
‘’We have watched with grave concern, the continued silence of critical stakeholders of the Urhobo nation particularly the Traditional Rulers who seat at the highest throne of leadership in the land at the worrisome existence of factions in the Urhobo Progress Union, the umbrella body of all Urhobo people irrespective of religious, political and economic inclinations. That there had been factions of the UPU since 2016 is what many Urhobo people have refused to admit, choosing rather to pretend that all had been well with Urhobo, ignoring the continued struggles by the both factions in media representations and war to escalate the disunity in Urhobo to unimaginable proportions which has obviously generated destructive values to the integrity of Urhobo name indisputably.
‘’We at the Urhobo Peoples International Assembly (UPIA) cannot continue to watch the unfolding events without taking steps to end the saga.Olorogun Moses Taiga and Chief Joe Omene has nothing to lose if they’re so willing and faithful enough to take steps to end the factional wars.
‘’As the name implies…Urhobo Progress Union. UPU is designed to unite Urhobo for Progress. How can unity and Progress be achieved when the body saddled with that responsibility cannot be united to face the onerous task of fighting for the interest of Urhobo in all facets of life?
Where is the unity and progress of Urhobo when UPU is divided? What does it take for our leaders to humble themselves, demonstrate overt example in discipline and sacrifice in the area of taking Urhobo out of the woods?
‘’Obviously, Urhobo cannot continue like this most especially as we prepare for 2023 polls as such we must put our house in order because if a masquerade wants to go out for demonstration it must start from it home.
Resolutely, we want to put it very clearly to the factions of UPU that they must drop their differences now and work for Urhobo otherwise, Urhobo shall rise up against them and make them to face real shame, the same shame they are bringing to Urhobo through their unrelenting determination to hold on to the office of the UPU without taking steps to unite Urhobo and of course not also looking into the detrimental tendencies and destructions their ongoing disunity saga has caused to Urhobo Progress at the past , presently and the future.
‘’On this note, we hereby give both factions of UPU a condition to close ranks, drop their differences and unite for the sake of Urhobo honour, pride and glory otherwise, the protest that will follow cannot be curtailed by them. Enough is enough! We cannot continue to wake up every day to dissenting and discordant voices emanating from the two factions of the UPU.
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Ultimately, unity of UPU, for them to speak with one voice must be now but if this is not taken then we shall have no other choice than to ensure all hands come on desk to bring this embarrassing show to an end’’, Hon Keston Okoro Al-Amin declared.
‘’Permit me to also use this medium to express my appreciation to the following group that have worked for Urhobo interest over the years.
These include, the Urhobo Historical Society, the Urhobo DC-23 group, the Urhobo Youth leaders Association, all Urhobo Youths Organizations, the Urhobo Voice Newspaper, the Urhobo Economic Survival Forum Etc. There is no doubt that they have been contributing to Urhobo political, cultural and economic values over the years’’, he added.
