By Seyi Odewale
The worldwide leadership of the Okpe Union has strongly condemned what it describes as a politically motivated attempt to subsume the Okpe kingdom under the Urhobo ethnic group, warning that the move threatens the kingdom’s cultural survival and political independence.
Speaking at a press conference in Warri on Wednesday, the apex socio-cultural body for Okpe people rejected recent claims by leaders of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and their allies that “Okpe is Urhobo,” insisting that the assertion is false, misleading, and driven by partisan interests ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reading from a statement signed by eight top officials, including 1st Deputy President-General Francis Redemi and General Secretary Kingsley Akpederin, the Union’s National Publicity Secretary, Victor Oruno, accused UPU’s 1st Deputy President-General, Chief Isaac Itebu, and former Okpe Union President-General, Chief Robert Onome, of misrepresenting the Okpe nation without any mandate from its people.
The Union alleged that the controversial press briefing convened by Itebu and Onome on July 30 in Orerokpe was a deliberate attempt to rally Okpe people into an artificial ethnic fusion with Urhobo under the All Progressives Congress (APC), with the ultimate goal of securing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
According to the Okpe Union, the plan also includes moves to halt the teaching of the Okpe language in schools across Okpe land, a step they say would undermine the preservation of the kingdom’s unique heritage.
“Okpe is a distinct ethnic nationality with its history, customs, traditions, and language, which is completely different from Urhobo,” the statement read. “Any attempt to erase or dilute this identity is unacceptable and will be resisted.”
The group also faulted past political classifications that grouped Okpe under larger ethnic blocs in Delta State, calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to reverse the current arrangement in the Delta Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) that places Okpe under another ethnic group.
They argued that separating Okpe and Urhobo within DESOPADEC would ensure fairer representation and equitable distribution of benefits to both ethnic nationalities.
The Union commended prominent Okpe personalities who have publicly opposed the merger narrative. It urged all Okpe people to stand firm in defence of their identity against what they described as an “onslaught by politicians seeking immediate gratification.”
“This is not just about today’s politics; it is about safeguarding the future of the Okpe people,” the statement concluded.
