Over the weekend, the Okpe Union advocated a better structure for Nigerian federalism, reflecting the devolution of legislative and governmental powers favouring the component units.
It also called for establishing state police to stem the security menace in most areas of the country.
In a State of the Union address, the President General of Okpe Union, Prof Igho Natufe, said the Union was working closely with other Indigenous ethnic nationalities and national organisations, including the Movement for National Reformation (MNR), to craft a new path for the restoration of federalism and good governance in Nigeria.
“Okpe is among the more than 400 indigenous ethnic nationalities in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These indigenous ethnic nationalities, including Okpe, are the core federating units of Nigeria. Thus, like other indigenous ethnic nationalities, Okpe has a voice in determining the future of Nigeria.”
The Union called for the creation of homogeneous federating states for the 15 most populous ethnic nationalities that have contiguous boundaries, respectively.
“These federating units will be 15 homogeneous ethnic-based states for the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Okpe, Tiv, etc.”
It also called for creating a maximum of 15 heterogeneous (multi-ethnic) federating states for other ethnic nationalities.
“An ethnic nationality occupying a defined contiguous boundary in a heterogeneous state shall constitute an autonomous region with due constitutional jurisdictions. It shall also have concurrent jurisdiction over natural resources discovered in its territory with the other states. Still, it shall exercise exclusive jurisdiction over primary and secondary education, culture, language, traditional institutions, etc.”
The Union further urged the Federal Government not to politicise the outcomes of the proposed National Population census.
“Okpe Union calls for the proposed National Population Census to be conducted by employing best technology to avoid a repeat of the past, where the outcomes were so politicised that many of the exercises did not command the confidence of many parts of the country and Nigerians as to their credibility,” Natufe added.
Meanwhile, the Orodje of Okpe, Orhue 1, has drawn criticism from Okpe Union leaders, who described his ‘Urhobo’ agenda as a betrayal of the Okpe Nation.
“There are two contending trends in contemporary Okpe polity. Okpe Union represents the first trend that agitates for recognising Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality and not a sub-group of any other nationality in Nigeria. The second trend, currently championed by HRM Orhue l (after he abandoned his earlier position), regards Okpe as Urhobo.”
The President General of Okpe Union (Worldwide) commented on the contending trends in Okpe polity during the union’s 95th anniversary celebration.
“This is a reflection of the current position of HRM Orhue l, which, for selfish reasons, reverted to the British colonial policy that classified ‘Okpe as Urhobo’, to secure the support of the Urhobos in his aspiration to be the Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council,” Natufe said.
The Union took a swipe at Orhue 1, accusing him of working against the campaign of Okpe as a distinct ethnic group.
“While we are here today in Okpe House, Obalende, Lagos, the officially recognised Registered Office and headquarters of the Okpe Union, celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the Okpe Union, a pack of renegades are said to be in Udogun Hall, the Palace of Okpe Kingdom, claiming to be celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the Okpe Union, but are in reality, according to their posters, celebrating Okpe as “the largest Urhobo Ethnic Nationality.”
The Union recollects an encounter with the Arc. Ralph Karieren-led National Executive Council of the Okpe Union in 2010 with His Royal Majesty, where Orhue 1 wanted the Union to retract a statement published by the Okpe Union that Okpe was a distinct Ethnic Nationality.
“The union then had published that position to prepare the ground for a demand for the Delta State Government to recognise Okpe as a distinct Ethnic Nationality under the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
“But that dream was truncated as HRM Orhue; I got the then Unu Okpe to sign a counter publication in the Vanguard Newspapers to the effect that Okpe was Urhobo. To put it bluntly, this position is a betrayal of Okpe Identity and the Okpe Nation,” he said.
The Okpe Union vowed to continue advocating for Okpe Identity, irrespective of the hostile forces within and outside it.
