ZIK GBEMRE PONDERS OVER MAYOR OF URHOBO LAND: ANOTHER REASON TO BELIEVE UPU IS DEAD

For months, a nonentity by the name Eshanekpe Israel, crazy for fake titles and larger than self status, has been strutting the media space, labeling self as ‘MAYOR OF ENTIRE URHOBOLAND.

This feather-head also tags self “Ex-Militant Leader”, says he doubles as founder of Urhobo Youth Forum for Change, UYFC, aka Akpodoro. In a recent media concern he raised about the communal tension in Gbaregolor, this individual said he was speaking from Abuja.

While I don’t envy him for all he thinks he is worth, but as a proud Urhobo son, conscious of our heritage and pride of place we hold among tribes of the Nigerian nation, I am most disturbed that a nobody, with absolutely no history of honour in our land, will arrogate to self, the title, Mayor of Entire Urhoboland.

What impudence, what incitement? Where did he get it from? Major of Urhoboland is utterly alien to Urhobo. No such title, in any social or traditional circle across Urhoboland, yet one young man sounded it like it is intended to make him look larger than the President General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and all traditional stools and chieftaincies in Urhobo Land.

The real worry is why would the UPU and Urhobo traditional rulers be indifferent, blind, and deaf to this reckless self glorification by this Eshanekpe Israel?

I sense his intentions. Before external stakeholders, federal government, and relevant agencies, he deliberately wants to look larger than Urhobo nation itself, like he is lord (MAYOR indeed) over Urhoboland. So when opportunities come, he is easily recognised. Simple as that.

The silence over this unhealthy precedence by UPU is one of the reasons I contend that UPU, as intended by Mukoro Mowoe and co-founding fathers is dead and buried.

The contraptions parading EXCO as UPU in recent times are believed by some Urhobo elites that they are opportunists, sponsored by the state government in power, to hijack UPU leadership in return for becoming willing tools by Delta ruling PDP to sing praises of any governor in power in Delta state. Same goes for the partisan Urhobo traditional rulers we have today.

Why would UPU and traditional rulers fold their arms when desperate Urhobo sons looking for cheap relevance can’t feel big without affixing Urhobo to some self installed titles, unknown to our land.

In all the government attentions they have gained over engagements as violent mongers in the Niger Delta, the likes of Tompolo, Asari have never limited their militancy generalship to their native Ijaw nation.

Asari calls self Leader of Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF) just as Tompolo sees self Commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). None of them, or any other Ijaw war monger calls self MAYOR OF IJAW LAND.

Even the ‘Ex-Militant’ this self installed ‘Mayor of Urhoboland’ also arrogate to self is anti-Urhobo. ‘Militant’ or Ex-Militant’ are alien to Urhobo. We are not militants and shouldn’t envy those who gain prominence by running militancy into their private pockets, endangering the lives of their people, and pretending to be fighting for the common good.

As an apex Urhobo social cultural organisation, respected and so accepted across Urhobo land and beyond, why must UPU not be bothered or take action when someone brands self Mayor over Urhobo land.

Who is this Mayor of Urhobo land representing? Who installed or awarded him this bogus title, at what forum and when?

Biko irinro ohwo ma. Rubbish ‘Mayor of entire Urhobo land.

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