On The Creation Of The Ughelli South Local Government Council

The Ughelli South Local Government Council is not the personal property of John Oguma and Peter Mrakpor. I was the one who typed all the proposals document in my office at Ometan Street, Warri back then for the creation of Ughelli South council, when Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta was the President-General (PG) of Ughievwen Progress Union then.

I still remember when Luman Gbemre contacted Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta as the then PG Ughievwen Progress Union, and expressed that the then Federal Military government of Nigeria led by Babangida was about to create local government councils. After getting the proposal documents typed, Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta took the documents to the traditional rulers in Ughievwen, Effurun-Otor, Okparabe, Arhavwarien, Olomu to be endorsed, as advised by Luman Gbemre. The next day, Luman Gbemre, Dr. Udoro Uwedjojevwe and Dickson Biebi Owhowhiamreta, left for Lagos to submit the proposal documents for the creation of Ughelli South council. They left with the hired Bendel line taxi then, which took them straight to Dodan Barracks, the then seat of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the official Office/Resident of the then Head of State. Luman Gbemre had already contacted Omamuli of NRC party, who was closely related to Aikhomu. After the submission, and approval was given for the Ughelli South council creation, they left for Dr. Amos Gbemre’s house in Tin-Can Island, Apapa area that night, where they slept. Dr. Amos Gbemre was the one who drove them in the morning of the next day to the Motor Park in Lagos to board a hired taxi back to Warri.

So, I know everything about the Ughelli South local government council creation because back then, I had a Real Estate partnership company with Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta, as a young graduate then. When it was announced wrongly that Orho-Agbarho was the headquarters of the Ughelli South council, it was then that others got involved a little bit. But the main persons who initiated for the creation of the Ughelli south council was Luman Gbemre, Dr. Udoro Uwedjojevwe and Dickson Biebi Owhowhiamreta. After the change of the correction of the headquarters of Ughelli South council was made, the next question then that needed to be addressed was where to locate the Secretariat of the council. I still remember how Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta approached Chief Kpohraro for his housing estate at Edjophe town to be used, but later changed his mind, being that if the Kpohraro estate in Edjophe was used, it will be difficult to relocate it to Otu-Jeremi. And that was when they approached Barr. P.E. Sito Ideh for his house to be used in Otu-Jeremi. Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta provided the Eyara land for free, for the permanent secretariat of the council, with the aim that Eyara Town will open up to develop.

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Sadly today, everyone is claiming to be the architect of the creation of Ughelli South. I played my own little role by standing to support Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta then with the writing of memos as President-General (PG) of Ughievwen Progress Union. I was also writing all his speeches then. Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta, was a business partner of mine and elder cousin because his mother is the first daughter of Gbemre. Oguma and Mrakpor didn’t contribute anything towards the creation of Ughelli South local government council. I know Dr. Udoro Uwedjojevwe was representing Amrevughe club of Ughievwen then. Dickson Biebi Ohwowhiamreta was representing the Ughievwen Progress Union, and Luman Gbemre was using his connections with Omamuli, Shinkafi and others who were close to Dodan Barracks then.

The fact is that Luman Gbemre was the main brain behind the Ughelli South successful creation. Luman Gbemre, Udoro Uwedjojevwe and Dickson Biebi Owhowhiamreta, ought to be remembered for playing this significant role for the creation of the Ughelli South council then.

Zik Gbemre
March 21,2021

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