Emete Inauguration: Taiga Lacks Knowledge Of UPU Constitution, Cannot Speak Urhobo, Says Omene

By Daniel Dafe

The President General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Chief (Engr.) Joe Omene, has taken a swipe at Olorogun Moses Taiga over his comments published by an online news source that condemned the successful inauguration of the UPU Women Youth Wing (Emete) where he described the move as unconstitutional, adding that the publication did not come to him as a surprise.

Speaking to Oasis Magazine (OM) during a phone conversation, Omene, in his reaction to the publication, said: “I excuse his ignorance because he has no knowledge of the Urhobo language and does not know what ‘Emete’ is since he is an Ijaw man and does not speak or know the language.

“During an Urhobo gathering, he once asked to be permitted not to speak in Urhobo because he cannot speak the language. So, it is clear that he does not know what ‘Emete’ means.”

Omene added: “Taiga must not dabble into UPU affairs and should not talk about unconstitutionality of the inauguration. When he held his illegal conference in February when the constitution states clearly that congresses are to be held in December, he forgot about the constitution. Does he have a right to talk about unconstitutionality?

“Is he trying to say that young females do not have a place in UPU? The structure of UPU has the parent body, theold women (Egweyas) and the youth wing. Before now, we only had the youths or Ighelle (male folks) operating, but decided to have a platform to bring in the young females since they cannot join the Eghweya group. Now, the Emete group has promised to use this medium to bring in other young Urhobo females and pursue their welfare.

“After the inauguration, we have been getting calls from all parts of Nigeria and beyond to support this initiative. Some have even called to find out if they can start branches where they are. This was how I kick started the 24 Urhobo Kingdoms branches of UPU the other time and it added so much value to UPU and Urhobo nation generally.”

Speaking further, he said: “There is no one single word for youths in Urhobo, but rather both Ighelle and Emete. There has been no voice for the female youths in UPU before now and that is why we gave them that platform.”

Furthermore, he said: “Whenever Taiga’s group comes up with any publication, they do not use the UPU logo that has straight palm trees. Their logo has palm trees that are bent. They do not speak for Urhobo Nation, but are trying to come in through the back door with the support of the evil PDP-led government in Delta State and a few unpatriotic kings in Urhobo land. He came in through a congress that was not even attended by delegates from branches of UPU in the 24 kingdoms.”

On the allegation that he conducts UPU programmes in his house and not in Urhobo House in Agbarho, he said: “If I forcefully gain entrance to that place and use it, they will kill Urhobo youths. Their death will not matter to them (Taiga group) and the PDP government in Delta State, led by an Ibo man who is using an Ijaw man to destablise Urhobo. I do not want to take laws into my hands. Come rain, come sunshine the courts will decide who is the PG of UPU. When this happens, I would like to see how they will still hold on to that place.

“The truth will always come out. There are many unpatriotic Urhobo politicians that supported the move to destroy Urhobo. The other time an Urhobo man in government was slapped by someone not in government who is a younger brother to the governor and nothing happened. Where is the said Urhobo man today and others? They have gone under. Urhobo now is waxing stronger and we are at the federal level and very soon we will take over the government in Delta State.