Osinbajo’s visit: Okowa humiliates Urhobo monarchs …their treatment is the fall out of the cumulative treachery-Ogor

By Ovasa Ogaga ———- January 17^th, 2017 —————–

 

Reactions continues to trial the humiliating treatment given to Urhobo monarchs who were kept waiting  yesterday (Monday) at the  Petroleum Training Institute PTI, conference centre Effurun,  Delta State for over five hours leading to a walkout protest by some Urhobo monarchs.

 

The Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa had assembled Urhobo leaders, monarchs and opinion leaders at the PTI conference centre Effurun at about 11am to receive the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who was on a fact-finding visit to Delta State.

 

The Vice President on his arrival at Osubi Airstrip, he immediately left to the palace of HRM, Oboro Gbaraun II Aketekpe, Agbdagba the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, where he had a closed door meeting with Ijaw monarchs and leaders, including a wanted ex-militant leader.

 

He also later had a town hall meeting with the people of the Kingdom before inspecting the facilities at the Maritime University, Okerenkoko.

 

While about 33monarchs in Urhobo nation, including some from her Isoko neighbours were waiting for his coming, the Vice President and Okowa were been treated to a lavished reception at the palace of the Olu of Warri Kingdom, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli I, where he met with the Itsekiri people.

 

Reacting to the development, a social commentator, Mr Chamberlain Prince Ogor stated in a post on his facebook page that problem of the Urhobo people is greed and selfishness.

 

According Ogor; “’Emarioka’ (over sabi) is the bane of the Urhobo man. The piteous situation that the Urhobos have found themselves, as exampled by the rather suspicious treatment given by the VP, is the fall out of the cumulative treachery, hate and lack of unity over the years by our political class, and their gang of followers.

 

“The beggarly posture and conduct of kings of these mushroom kingdoms is not helping matters! ‘Aduma’ do body”!

 

He added; “Weep not for Urhobos. Unless there is a social cultural renaissance, there is no hope. What some may wrongly refer to as social cultural diversity is nothing but a systematic dismemberment of the very fabric that binds us together as a people.”
Who did this to my people?

In his reaction Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa, an activist for good governance, stated that the Urhobo nation is losing her worth because of the way its leaders and monarchs carries themselves.

 

According to him, many Urhobos are angry because they felt excluded from the routine of events lined up for Vice President Osinbanjo’s visit to Delta State yesterday.

 

He noted that upon his Osinbanjo’s arrival at Osubi Airstrip in Urhoboland, he quickly left for the Palace of the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom in the riverine Oporoza Community. After which he later arrived Warri to meet with the Itsekiri monarch at his palace.

 

“Meanwhile, some of my dear ‘waka-waka’ present sir(governor) Urhobo monarchs, traditional chiefs, community leaders, and opinion leaders including the one that calls himself ‘papa governor’ were all seated for hours at the PTI conference centre Effurun.

“Who did this to my people?

 

“They are responsible for their predicament. Because they have showed to their neighbours in Delta State that with money, they can sell their conscience and they have always sold their conscience in the past,” he added.

 

Trouble however started when the Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark and HRM Alfred Diete-Spiff the Amayanabo (King) of Twon-Brass, Bayelsa State, walked in into the PTI conference centre and were immediately ushered into the high table, this infuriated most of the Urhobo monarch who have been seated since 11am.

 

Expressing their displeasure on the shabby treatment melted to them by the Delta state government and its official, the monarch led by the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom staged a walkout, but were cajoled to go back by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Ovie Agas and other Urhobo political appointee.

 

Not able to stomach the humiliation, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom left the venue out of anger, when he sensed that his fellow monarch out of fear of losing their monthly stipends from the government went back to the PTI conference center.

 

In order to placate the Urhobo monarch, two of them were reluctantly asked to come to the high table chaired by Chief E. K Clark, while they stayed as onlookers’ promoting murmuring among Urhobo youths at the venue.

 

Earlier while addressing stakeholders at the PTI conference hall, Prof Osinbajo stated that it was unfortunate that despite the huge contribution of the Niger Delta to the development of the country, there was little to show for such.

 

According to him, “no Nigerian can be proud with the state of development in the Niger Delta; we are all beneficiaries from resources from the region but, we cannot have instability and be able to carry out speedy development of the region,” the Vice President said.

 

Osibanjo added that President Mohammadu Buhari was committed to the development of the region, asserting;”the issues at stake are very clear, this is not time for negotiation, it is time to act and we know the issues, we must all prepare for a future that will not be dependent in oil resources.”