By Ovasa Ogaga,
The Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ede Dafinone, has issued a powerful call to action to the leadership of the Urhobo Nation, urging them to unite and "move as one, or be displaced" in the sociopolitical landscape of Delta State and Nigeria.
Speaking at the 2nd Edition of the UPU Ighelle World Conference, themed “Igniting the Urhobo Spirit: Urhobo Youth as Custodians and Catalysts of Change,” Senator Dafinone expressed his frustration with a situation where "only one leader wants to be heard and seen."
He delivered a stark warning, stating that the change required for the Urhobo Nation is so profound that "unless we get our acts together now—today—I strongly believe we will be lost in the Nigerian equation, and even in the Delta equation, for good."
Dafinone defended the Urhobo people's right to benefit from the current political cycle, with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori at the helm. He invoked the "turn-by-turn" political ethos, famously articulated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's "Èmi l'ókàn" campaign slogan.
"I want to bring that home to us all here: we have an Urhobo governor, and it is our turn. There is no shame, and there is no sense of selfishness, in an Urhobo governor developing Urhobo land more than other sections of the state," he declared.
The Senator highlighted his role as a bridge-builder and an "instrument of power" to open doors for his people at the federal level. He encouraged Urhobo youths and businesspeople to approach his office with well-prepared proposals, assuring them that he would use his access to help them succeed.
Dafinone also called for a change in mindset, particularly regarding unhealthy competition among leaders. He shared a personal anecdote about praying for a young mentee to become "richer than me," explaining that a colleague's success does not diminish his own.
"The unhealthy competition we often engage in—thinking I must be the richest, I must be the best, I must be the only leader—is defeating us," he said. "We must move as one. We must move as Urhobo. We must move as a team."
Dafinone closed with a personal story, recalling how he once prayed that a young man he mentored would surpass him financially. “His being richer than I does not make me poorer. It takes nothing away from me,” he said, urging Urhobo leaders and youths to embrace a spirit of collective growth rather than rivalry.
