Ben Dunno, Warri
A former member of the defunt Bendel state House of Assembly, Chief Michael Oghenekaro, has advocated for the creation of three (3) autonomous Urhobo states considering its present position as the fifth largest ethnic group in the country.
Making this case in a paper presented at the Urhobo ethnic nationality summit held at the Petroleum Training Institute (Pti) Conference Centre at the weekend, the former parliamentarian who represented Ethiope South-East constituency in the Assembly, noted that Urhobos remained the most marginalised ethics group in county today.
While arguing that the Hausas believes to be the largest are having 20 states including FCT, the Yorubas have six states, the Ibos have five states and the Ijaws having two state, he noted that the Urhobos remains the only major ethnic group without a state of their own.
According to him, “The case of Delta state is sharply different and pathetic with the igbos, Ijaws, Itsekiris and Isokos lumped together with the 5th largest ethnic tribe (Urhobo) with an Urhobo governor always suffering serious disloyalty and insurgency from the other tribes”.
“Thus, the Urhobo ethnic nationality is the only ond denied the rights and privileges accurable to a state; whereas the contribution of the Urhobo ethnic nationality to the continous existence of Nigeria is well known and documented”.
“Let me go into a very significant contribution of Urhobo to the corporate existence of Nigeria. In the battle to keep Nigeria one during the civil war, Urhobos contributed so much resources, human and material, to ensure Nigeria remains one”.
“When others lost faith, Urhobos remained steadfast and undaunted in the concept of one Nigeria. It is worthy to recall that the oil money used in prosecuting the civil war came solely from Urhobo land (Ughelli Oil Wells), which were the only oil wells available to the federal government at that time because the whole of the Eastern region was no longer accessible”.
“It is also worthy of note that the Urhobo nation is the only major ethnic nationality in Nigeria till date that does not own and operate a militia group, either overtly or covertly. Urhobos have not and will not subscribe to the violence or uprising against the country Nigeria “.
“We need more states for Urhobo and in the light of the arguments i have put forth, i will not minx words in our quest for equity from the Nigerian nation”.
“Therefore, it is hereby demanded that three states or a recommendation for creation of states for the Urhobo nation be adopted solely for the benefit of the Urhobo people along the colonial lines of Urhobo kingdoms”.
The states according to him include; Ughelli state comprising of Agbarha-Otor, Agharho, Arhavwarien, Effurun-Otor, Ewhu, Evwreni, Ughelli, Ogor Okparabe, Uwheru, Ughievwen, Olomu and Orogun kingdom with the headquarters at Ughelli town.
Ethiope state comprising of Abraka, Umiaghwa- Abraka, Agbon, Okpe, Idjerhe, Oghara and Mosogar with the headquarters in Sapele and Ame state comprising of Agbarha-Ame, Okere, Uvwie and Udu with headquarters in Udu.
“Thus if we have these three states viz-viz Ughelli, Ethiope and Ame from the old colonial arrangement of Central and Western Urhobo Divisions. The imperative of the demand for the creation of the above named states for the present Urhobo nation cannot be overemphasied”.
“Loyalty demands its reward, and equity demands that Urhobo be properly restructured into three states to reflect agitations for equity by Nigerians”.
“In my opinion, the murdered glory of the mid-West region has caused more harm than good and it would take more drastic and radical initiatives and not the mere creation of Edo and Delta states for the federal government to undo the past”, he concluded.