By Goodluck Edafe,
ABOUT two months ago, I wrote the title, "Urhobo individual acquisition and communal failure". In that article, I described how the Urhobo individual aspiration has left Urhobo desolate without a respectable and unanimous voice at the national level. And recently, I dropped on the social media platforms another pro-Urhobo article, "UPU election: My appeal for a sound and credible leadership". In both articles, I expressed my pain about the deteriorating quality of UPU leadership in recent years, and as I noted, the UPU nowadays has become voiceless, unpatriotic and regrettably, a lilly-belly loyalist of some politically misguided, power-drunk and irresponsible Urhobo politicians, who now seemingly make the UPU to appear a shadow of it's old self - loosing unequivocal voice at every front. For it has been generally agreed that Urhobo major political successes in the 60s and 70s were a product of a visionary, proactive, strong and resourceful UPU leadership. And that the national recognition and respect Urhobo enjoyed in former days, have been largely attributed to a UPU leadership of valour, intelligence and purpose. Today, the narrative is different. For it has become fashionable for Urhobo politicians and elites who don't attend UPU meetings to plant incompetent, vacuous and unprepared voiceless stooges at the UPU. Thus, part of the challenges facing Urhobo today is how to reclaim the UPU from politicians' surrogates.
Thus, in my articles, I did not mince words as I encourage all Urhobo who love development and community integration to support a credible, vociferous and purposeful leadership at the UPU election - a leadership with strong emotional appeal, willpower and readiness to galvanise and motivate Urhobo for collective victory. A leadership that will speak on issues and both the federal and Delta State governments will feel the implications on political direction. No society lacking credible leadership moves forward. The UPU is no exception. Unfortunately, it has progressively fallen from grace to grass - lacking vibrant and enthusiastic leadership. It's a story of people who shot themselves in the foot - they become architects and masterminds of their own failure and woes. That the UPU has become voiceless in recent years speaks volumes about the quality of its leadership. It's regrettable that those who unlawfully extended three years tenure of office to four years - who blatantly violated UPU constitution, invited club's and non,-members of UPU to hijack the process and fraudulently rigged the 2019 UPU election in Port Harcourt branch and who now seek elective positions at the UPU national election, obviously cannot be good representative and leaders of Urhobo. They have been tested and failed.
As it is, the UPU needs a leadership with character, integrity and a sense of value and self-worth. A leadership that will respond to the agitations, petitions and issues affecting UPU branches and Urhobo generally. Logically, a leadership that failed in its first tenure and had shown very poor leadership records and a total lack of preparation for service to Urhobo should go home and rest.
Urhobo must reject at the UPU a PDP practice of handing over challenging issues of leadership and development into the hands of political loyalists, and socially irredeemable mediocres. One reckless political opportunist in Mosogar once said, "You don't give political power to those who are intelligent lest they overwhelm you". Can anyone imagine this cruel and anti-development statement coming from a political leader in Urhobo? But that is the governing operational political philosophy in Urhobo since 1999. Now, what development inroads can Urhobo achieve, having characters with sinister political orientation in leadership positions? A community leadership that fears the prosperity of its own intellectuals will visibly remain backward. Painfully, it's the bane of Urhobo community development.
Leadership is challenging - requiring both intelligence and character for success. Therefore, at a time when the Nigerian ethnic competition grows stronger, Urhobo would need to identify credible individuals with character, courage and passion to reset and drive the Urhobo agenda.
I have stated that the current quality of leadership and representation in Urhobo is outlandishly selfish and weak. And that except Urhobo reconsiders the process of selection and quality of its leadership, like the kings, UPU, kingdom President-Generals and political appointees, it will make no significant impact in the near future. I maintained that the practice of turning UPU-sensitive leadership positions into a paddy-paddy affair is dangerous for Urhobo development. Urhobo needs motivators and champions of ideas as leaders at the UPU. Leaders who can articulate, harness the pains and needs of Urhobo and can demand an appropriate response. In this regard, I am urging Urhobo to support Chief Simeon Ohwofa and his team - a team fronting capable personalities like the vocal and amiable national figure, Barrister Mike Igini and a renowned Journalist, Abraham Ogbodo. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.
Edafe, is former Secretary of UPU Port Harcourt branch.
