Renaming Osubi Airport After Diete Spiff Is A Misnomer -Federal Lawmaker, Etanabene

By Daniel Dafe

“That the Osubi Airport in the heart of the Urhobo Nation is to be named after Chief Diete Spiff of Rivers State is a misnomer, and I don’t want to believe, a calculated attempt to cause rift between us and our Rivers brothers. This naming is unacceptable and should be reversed.”

Barr Benedict Etanabene, Member, representing Okpe/Sapele /Uvwie Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, said this in a statement, while reacting to the renaming of the airport  by President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, “the Urhobo history cannot be lost in favour of another tribe in Nigeria,” adding: “Nobody and I repeat, no Urhobo have any direct bearing or history of historical remembrance with this new name.”

He said that “the likes of distinguished Urhobo patriots, Chief Jereton Mariere, Chief Mukoro Mowoe, Chief Michael Ibru, General David Ejor, Senator David Dafinone (Guinness Book Record Holder), Chief Alex Ibru, Chief James Ibori, Prof Oyovbaire, General Dominic Oneya, Chief Obahor, Justice Omo-Agege, Justice Esiri, Chief Edewor, Chief Benard Okumagba, G Onosode (Boardroom Guru), Distinguished Senator Ewerido” and many others should be considered as the name of the airport.

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Adding: “Even the titles of “Orodje”, “Umogu” will suffice, for they relate with the Urhobo Nation. Certainly not that which has no historical meaning with us other than we heard they are these and that in their tribes or places of origin. Urhobo respect national leaders and figures, however, we also have national leaders whose names should also be mentioned amongst others. What has happened in this case will never be tolerated by our neighbours of Isoko, Itsekiri and Ijaw. No, they will not accept.”

“Therefore the Urhobos, and in particular the Okpes on whose soil the airport is located will not also. I suspect Mr President had a mild misrepresentation of the facts as to the location of the Osubi Airport, hence a correction can be easily made. We, the Urhobo people are desperate to preserve our culture and history like other tribes and people in Nigeria and indeed the world. I know Mr President is a man sensitive to history and culture, he has listening ears to sensitive matters like these. I trust he will do what is right and pleasing,” he opined.