Interview: Why Urhobo Day/Congress Will Not Hold In 2019— Omene

–I Will Not Present Myself For Reelection As PG, He Declares

-Says UPU Exco Awaits Either The Courts Or Peace Moves By Urhobo Reconciliation Groups To Determine Next Action

Chief (Engr.) Joe Omene is the President General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU). In this exclusive interview with the Publisher of Oasis Magazine (OM), Daniel Dafe Umukoro, he responded to questions bothering on the crisis rocking UPU, Urhobo National Day/Congress in December and other related issues.

Read on!

December 2 is close when Urhobo Day holds. Will the programme be organized by you this year?

The UPU has a constitution and we tried as much as possible to respect and obey it to the latter. Any group or individual that does not have respect for rule of law is inviting anarchy because if we did not believe in the rule of law there would have been a lot of anarchy in Urhobo land. There are laid down rules and when you don’t follow it you are inviting anarchy. That is exactly what the Taiga group is doing. They have no respect for the rule of law or for the constitution of UPU. He cannot say that he took oath of the UPU and not obey the rule of UPU. If he obeyed the constitution he will not be there. However, I made sure as the President General that we avoided bloodshed and anarchy otherwise, since after my election someone comes and say he wants to do an election we would have gone there to disrupt. We have that capacity. But, I restrained myself. They might take it as an act of cowardice. Coming to your question, there is supposed to be an annual congress. But, there is what you call originating summons. This means there is a conflict of the constitution until court helps to tell us who has right. It is not an issue of calling witnesses to testify. But, for three years the court has not been able to give judgment and interpretation. I don’t understand it. In the light of that, if I go ahead to conduct elections for new executive members and the court rules against me that will be another chaos and at the same time null and void. If Taiga does that too and the court rules against him that will also be a minus to him. That is why we see it as a conflict engulfing Urhobo Nation. Some bodies in Urhobo land have been saying Urhobo is not united and divided. They have been calling us to resolve the crisis and to have a united Urhobo and we see logic in it. This crisis is even enough to say, “what are we even celebrating?” Some groups like the Urhobo Renaissance Movement (URM) has said that we should put elections on hold and we said okay no problems. At any time the court gives its judgment, I could call an emergency congress and I as the incumbent PG will not present myself for reelection because Urhobos will want to see a new face at the helm of affairs. The people defeated by me if they see me will be aggrieved. So, in the interest of Urhobo and peace in our land even though I have a right to contest, I won’t. The constitution is very clear and said if there is crisis the national exco of UPU can postpone the congress of the election for a period of one year or at most two years then conduct the election. That is the position of the exco. One, the court cases are there. Two, every Urhobo man is saying let there be unity in Urhobo land. We have said it is okay. URM has many professors, many of which as professors of law and other groups want us to hold on. If I go ahead and say no, I am PG of UPU and go ahead, who am I presiding over? So, we are not holding Urhobo day. We are just going to meet and present the matter to the congress then brief them. In that wise I remain PG for the one year before elections will be conducted. If the people mediating are able to strike a compromise of an agreeable commitment or the court eventually gives its judgment we will ask the constitutional rights to do this or that. If we postpone it lets say for one year and in January or February there is judgment or agreement is reached I will still call emergency congress ratify it and conduct elections.

What are your conditions for peace?

My condition for peace is this like I told them. One, the constitution must be fully adhered to. There was a time when the kings said they sacked the entire exco of UPU. They didn’t have that right and so the Ighelle went to court. They came with a suggestion for out-of-court settlement and that we should go back that they realized that they don’t have the right to sack us. If the Urhobo people can say that they acted in error and say that for Uhobo to move forward lets conduct a fresh election there will then be an out-of-court settlement. The reason is that today anything that is not constitutionally addressed can make anyone just wake up and conduct their election tomorrow. But, if his people agree that they acted in error and call for election then it would have been established that any act of such is illegal. We could then have an out-of-court settlement. Two, if the court rules in my favour, then I will now call an emergency congress immediately. I will call the exco and conduct election after informing Urhobo people. Then, I will handover to whosoever wants to take over from me.

Do you have confidence in several reconciliation groups that are interested in seeing that this division in Urhobo land comes to an end?

If the reconciliation group comes and want to do otherwise then there will be problem and I will insist that the court decides. If you built a bungalow on top of sand and it collapsed do you think you can build a two-storey building on top of sand if the bungalow collapsed? This people have some educated people amongst them. So they should know the rule of law. Like I told them, if they want to do something they should know the legal implication.

Any achievements of your executive in 2019?

Urhobo has never had it so good like we did politically in 2019.  We were at the forefront. When Taiga came, he was pro-Okowa, pro-PDP and ……We looked at it and we said no, let it be Urhobo interest first. We looked at PDP but did not see anyone there who could take us to the promised land. But, we did endorse APC and you can attest to the fact that this decision paid off for us. We endorsed Buhari, Agege and Ogboru. Buhari and Agege won, but Ogboru is in court. So, that is two to one already. And the endorsement of Buhari made us to be able to talk to him and tell him that we endorsed you and did not give you any pre-condition so, we said please remember us and give us a thank you card. He graciously made it possible for an Urhobo man to become deputy Senate President. And then, he also made an Urhobo minister and another MD of NDDC. What can be sweeter? An Urhobo man is also a commissioner of National Population Commission. So when you talk of census now, an Urhobo man is there. Under PDP we wouldn’t have had all these things. After all, PDP was in government for about 16 years. What did we get? Nothing at the federal level. We made it possible because we calculated well and saw what was coming. So, and apart from this, the beauty of it is that in Lagos State an Urhobo man is a commissioner. In several states we have Urhobo indigenes in notable positions. Imagine if we had joined others to be saying Buhari is not good.

Also, just four days ago I settled the rift between the two factions laying claim to the control of Urhobo students. Taiga does not know anything about Urhobo students problems. He doesn’t know anything about Urhobo people’s plight anywhere. The only achievement he can claim is his attending of obituaries. He is an obituary President General.

Till the court decides or when the reconciliatory groups come up with a suggestion that will be accepted by you what can Urhobo nation still expect from you?

We will try to settle some rifts between Urhobos in Nigeria and some foreign countries. Onetime we were able to rescue an Urhobo lady involved in prostitution in one African country. At another time we did rescue an Urhobo lady that was forcefully married to an Emir. We will remain committed to Urhobo welfare all over the world.

What is your word to Urhobo people as 2023 approaches?

They should look at character and be careful who they vote for in 2023. If they vote for someone who can compromise for money then we all will be in trouble. There was a time Nwaoboshi said that politically don’t bother about Urhobo people that you don’t need to campaign to them just give money to them and give them what they want then you will get their votes. But, I have been able to prove to so many persons that not every Urhobo man is about money. We have some Urhobo who believe in a cause and fight it to the end. If all this while I wanted money, I would have said give me some millions let me forget. But, I did not do that. So if you put the wrong man in the position of PG or other positions he will compromise 2023.

If Taiga decides to run would you join the race?

That is up to Urhobo people. I won’t come back as PG because I am not the only qualified Urhobo son for the position.

What legacy would you say you will be leaving behind if you handover today?

I have been able to prove to the whole world that there are Urhobos who believe in something and stand by it. Every Urhobo man knows that if Chief Omene believes in something he does not compromise. You know if before now I have compromised so many persons would have had BP. There are people who call me privately and say don’t give up. You are a man, a tough fighter, you are fearless. They call me privately. Assuming I just collect some millions and say let me forget, these people would have been disappointed. So I am a man of character.