Lecture Presented by Erhomarhua Afure on 27th May, 2017 at the 9th National Convention of Okpe Union North America.
The President Okpe Union North America,
The 9th Annual convention Organizing committee,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Ekpako Me, Mediguo!
It is my privilege to joyfully present this lecture on “Okpe Economy, Politics and Socio-Cultural Challenges in the 21st century”.
The theme of this year celebration is the Okpe Identity and development in the 21st century, therefore it is important for me to culturally identify with the great people of Okpe kingdom, before I continue this lecture. If you know this historic song, you may join me as I identify with our people.
For the benefits of our guests and the Okpe people in diaspora who may not know about the Okpe history, I will briefly discuss the historical background of the kingdom. There has been false claim by non-Okpe scholars that Okpe were descendants of a man referred to as Uhobo who migrated from the ancient Benin Empire around 1170 A.D. This was an attempt by non-Okpe speaking people to foist history on us, which must be resisted by the Okpe people.
The quest for independent literatures on Okpe history prompted my interest to be an ethnographer and a scholar of culture, currently a researcher of Okpe history. Okpe are descendants of Prince Igboze of the ancient Benin Kingdom. Prince Igboze, the ancestor of Okpe migrated from the ancient Benin Kingdom around 1590 A.D. between the half of the 16th century.
Prince Igboze left Benin Kingdom with the consent and royal blessing of his cousin, Oba Ehengbuda who was the ruler of the Benin kingdom at that time. Oba Ehengbuda offered Igboze the title of Onogie, authorizing him to found his own kingdom. Prince Igboze left Benin Kindom independently to settled in Orere-Olomu, where he founded his own kingdom.
One great virtue of the Okpe people in history, which has continued till this generation is the virtue of peace and hospitality. This is an inherited virtue from Prince Igboze, who welcomed and accommodated an Ijaw visitor of Kiagbodo, referred to as Oghoro into his Kingdom at Orere-Olomu. Oghoro who was a visitor, settled in Orere-Olomu and got married to Igboze daughter, who had a son with him, that became named as Olomu.
Upon the death of Igboze, Olomu became interested in the royal stool of Igboze. The tussle for the successorship of Igboze royal stool at Orere-Olomu became bloody, with cases of loss of lives. To avert further conflict, the peace and hospitality virtue of the Okpe people re-manifested itself, and Prince Okpe the eldest son and supposed successor of Igboze led members of his family, with his followers to migrate from Olomu to found Okpe r’ Kpere settlement, currently refer to Okpe-Isoko. Okpe had four princely sons namely in order of seniority; Orhue, Orhorho, Evbreke and Esezi. Okpe later died at Okpe Isoko.
The migration of Okpe descendants continued after his death. Orhue the eldest of Okpe sons and a famous farmer, was the first person to arrive Orerokpe. Upon his discovery of the fruitfulness and fertility of the soil, through a ripe banana he harvested from the soil and ate from it. Orhue went back to his brothers at Okpe-Isoko and convinced them to migrate with him to the land of fertility.
The migration of the four princely brothers from Okpe-Isoko to their new and final settlement became known as “Orerokpe” meaning the settlement of Okpe. The Okpe people are presently located in Delta central Senatorial district of Delta State, occupying 2 of the 25 LGAs in the State. The people are indigenously settled in twelve traditional districts of the kingdom, namely; Aghalokpe, Amukpe, Elume, Arhagba, Mereje, Sapele, Oha, Orerokpe, Ozue, Ugborhen, Ughoton and Ugolo. These twelve-traditional districts are comprising of over one hundred and fifty (150) communities, including towns and villages.
We shall now begin the business of today. Economy, politics and culture are three inseparable components of every society. Wikipedia define Politics as the process of making decisions applying to all members of each group. It is concerned with the governance and control of human community, achieving and exercising positions of power. This include the practice of the distribution of power and resources within a given society. Okpe is well known to be a very organized and respected kingdom in the Niger-Delta.
The royal institution of governance in Okpe began with the intervention of Orhue in 1770 A.D. Upon their arrival at Orerokpe, Orhue who was the oldest and leader, recommended the re-institution of their royal heritage. Orhue who was supposed to emerged the first king, declined regarding to infirmity. Orhorho became next in hierarchy to assumed the throne, but there was an unsettled dispute between Orhoro and Ebvreke prior to their arrival at Orerokpe.
The Okpe virtue of peace was re-manifested, and this prompted the enthronement of the youngest of the four princes as King Esezi 1st in 1770 A.D. (Osume 2005, 108). King Esezi 1st became a tyrant in the throne, the egalitarian culture of the Okpe people prompted his execution in 1779 A.D. The execution of King Esezi 1st became a blessing for the expansion of Okpe Kingdom, as many people deserted Orerokpe to found new settlements due to political unrest in Orerokpe. The affairs of Okpe was govern by elders “Ekpako” for a period of 166 years without a king, a long period of interregnum.
This was the first and enormous political challenge encountered by the Okpe people, until 1945 King Esezi 11 was enthroned. But it is interesting to inform you that without a King, the Okpe people under the leadership of elders and the Okpe Union restored our land, resisted external invaders and land grabbers by securing victory in Sapele land dispute for the Okpe people against the Itsekiri people at the West African Court of Appeal on April 30th, 1943.
The question is that, what could have been the fate of the Okpe people, if the quality of leadership in the current Okpe political ruling class were the types of leadership we had in the early 1940s when we have no king, and we were face with such enormous challenge of land dispute? With the unpatriotic quality of the current Okpe political ruling class in the 21st century, the answer is clear.
Except for few distinguished persons, who I must acknowledge and don’t belong to this generation, but by God’s grace we still have them serving the Okpe people at their best, such as Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Chief. David O. Dafinone. All other members of Okpe political ruling class, especially the group of 1999 till this present dispensation has failed the people. During the administration of governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, some Okpe communities were manipulated and allocated to Local Government Areas that were not part of Okpe Kingdom, under the watch of our legislators and Okpe government officials. Okpe was one of the early administrative areas in Nigeria political history.
In view of the 1917 township ordinance of the Colonial Government, Sapele earlier became a second-class township with the recognition and appointment of Okpe sons as members of the administrative affairs, namely Messrs Rahbor Abeke, E.A. Iyefian and J.A. Ayomanor who represented Okpe interest in the board of the first town planning authority of 1949. Orerokpe became headquarter of Western Urhobo Division around 1937 and 1955 during the colonial rule; comprises of the present Okpe Local Government Area, Sapele Local Government Area, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Ethiope West Local Government area, Uvwie Local Government and Udu Local Government Areas. In 1955, an Urban District Council was constituted in Sapele by the Colonial government; the Council was made of 33 members led by the then Orodje of Okpe Kingdom as the president.
Upon the creation of Local Government system in Nigeria, Orerokpe became the headquarters of a larger administrative areas in 1976, still comprising of the present Sapele, Ethiope East and West, Udu and Uvwie. The development of more Local Government Areas between 1989-1996, prompted the administrative separation of present Sapele, Ethiope East and West, Udu and Uvwie Local Government Areas out of Orerokpe.
Today, in the 21st century, Uvwie and Udu that are younger and were the last Local Government Areas to be created out of Okpe are well and highly developed economically and infrastructurally more than Okpe and Sapele Local Government Areas, with Uvwie hosting a Federal University, Petroleum Training Institute and many more ongoing developments. While our political ruling class are working for their personal pockets and that of their immediate family.
The challenges facing Okpe kingdom in the 21st century includes; poor economic development, poor political representation, poor infrastructural development, oil spillage and environmental degradation, lack of higher educational institutions and lack of public accountability. The historic political relevance of Orerokpe and the economic importance of Sapele in the colonial period was a strategic platform that could have improved infrastructural and industrial development of the Kingdom, but was not well utilized by the ruling class, because it was not a priority to them.
These facts, are the reasons for the under-development we witness in our kingdom. When asked about the projects and recent development in Sapele Local Government under the present administration, the present Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Hon Barr. Ejaife O. Odebala told me in 2016, that his administration assumed office on October 27th, 2014 and since the assumption of office, there has be no project started neither accomplished by his administration. When asked why? His response was that “The Council is indebted of ten months’ staff salaries’; Local Government Councils in Nigeria need full autonomy”. But despite lack of autonomy, other Local Government Areas are massively improving and increasing economic and infrastructural development in their Areas.
Why is the situation different in Sapele and Okpe Local Government Areas? In a lecture delivered on December 20, 2008 at the 3rd Okpe World Conference in Sapele, Chief Prof. Sam Oyovbaire noted: “For those who are closely related to the political party process in Okpe kingdom, and particularly to the politicians in Sapele and Okpe local government areas, they know that there is quite a lot to worry about. We are bedeviled by the promotion and existence of political factions and fractions. Okpe has had a houseful of politicians who possess very little or no concerns for the welfare and interest of the Okpe constituencies which they are deemed to represent in the local governments, state government, and the federal government level, at the executive and legislative arm. The absence of unity of purpose of the Okpe political class is painfully worrisome”.
This is a challenge to us, we should not live the great future of Okpe Kingdom in the hands of unfaithful politicians. Therefore, Okpe Sons and Daughters at home and abroad should contributes their quota towards attracting investors and development to the kingdom. Okpe is the most secure and peaceful Kingdom in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria.
Therefore, peace and security of life and properties of investors are guaranteed in any part of the Kingdom, and the people are willing to offer affordable land to investors for developmental purpose. In this 21st century, many communities in Okpe Kingdom lack good roads, electricity supply, good water and absence of many other social amenities. Despite the high educational rating of Okpe people and the increasing quest for education by the people, this largest kingdom in Delta State has no private or public own higher educational institution.
The hopeful Sapele Polytechnic is politicized. The situation in Okpe kingdom is not government marginalization, but is self-marginalization. The calibers of leaders and wealthy personalities Okpe has produced in Nigeria political and economic space has not be produced by many neighboring developed Kingdoms in the Niger-Delta.
The problem that has set Okpe back in the 21st century is lack of patriotism and lack of charity spirit. Prominent Sons and Daughters of Okpe Kingdom who were privilege to occupy resourceful and strategic National and State political positions in Nigeria didn’t prioritized the development of the Kingdom. Since first republic till this moment, Okpe Kingdom has produced numerous top government officials of various capacity who could have influenced transformation of the Kingdom.
They include; Top Military Generals, Top Air Force personnel’s, Senior Naval Officers, Air Vice Marshals, Federal High Commissioners, Military Governors, Senators, Ministers, Members of House of Reps, State Assembly members and Speakers, State Commissioners, State and Federal Board members, Professors and Technocrats etc. Go and ask them what was the percentage of their commitment and contributions to the development of their various communities while in office, and how many Okpe human capacity did they use their good office to develop, through employment or recommendations? Either it is zero percent or only few can account for very minimal percent of commitment. The most annoying situation is that they come home after retirement and join the helpless masses to criticize the government, that the government is bad, who is the government?
These are major challenges of the Okpe people, that we must aspire to correct. The politics of sharing cups of rice and salts for women, and stipends for youths in every election year must be rejected by the people. The aspirations of the people should be aim towards the transformation of Okpe towns and rural communities, into modern towns and developed cities.
Provision of sustainable infrastructural development, good roads with modern bridges, modern houses, stable electricity, portable water, sustainable security, functional hospitals and reliable health care system, employment opportunities and economic prosperity of the kingdom. These are achievable through political accountability, transparency, unity, selflessness, patriotism, charity, unity of purpose and collective responsibility. This is not just the responsibility of those in government, but the responsibility of Okpe descendants at home and in diaspora.
Our language and cultural values are our identity, therefore must be promoted. I want to use this opportunity to request the Okpe Union to appeal to His Royal Majesty Orhue 1st Orodje of Okpe Kindom and the Okpe Chieftaincy committee to re-evaluate the requirements for the offering of our valuable chieftaincy title. The situation where by you are wealthy, having a big mansion in your village with good borehole water in fenced and locked compound, used only when you visit the village, yet members of your community drink water from the earth well with reptiles, you cannot donate a public borehole water system to your community and you are a Chief of Okpe Kingdom from that community is a disgrace.
Our Chiefs represent the respected Okpe traditional institution and should live by example, charity they say begins at home. If you have private wealth and cannot render philanthropic service to your people, the day you are opportune to be in government you will not also be of good service to the people. That’s why we had an educated Ex-president from Niger-Delta whose community has no good road, no healthy drinkable water.
Yet there was average educated youth leader, under his administration who could influenced Federal University across the high sea to his community, it is a display of charity. Okpe Chieftaincy committee should include the percentage of voluntary community service to the kingdom as part of the requirements for bestowing Okpe Chieftaincy on interested persons, and those who stole our public wealth meant for the development of the Okpe and Sapele constituencies should be deny Chieftaincy honor. You cannot steal from the people, deny them development and still be honor, is a challenge that our culture must resist.
I will not forget to request the Okpe Union to be more active in politics, to attract more influence and development to the Kingdom, leaving politics only for the party players contribute to the lack of vision in Okpe style of political leadership. If they used political gerrymandering to stop Okpe from producing the Executive Governor of Delta State in 1999, I see no reason for we not to produce the Executive Governor of Delta State in 2023.
The present political landscape of Delta State is an opportunity for Okpe Kingdom to produce the next Executive Governor of Delta, after fair completion of Delta North Senatorial District in 2023. Therefore, Okpe Gubernatorial Vision 2023 should begin now, and be taken serious, because where there is no vision, the people perish. Let me use this opportunity to inform we all, who are privilege to part of the Okpe 21st century generation, that in 1779 A.D. some patriotic Okpe descendants fought for the freedom and unity we are enjoying today, and history will forever remember them.
Some distinguished Okpe elders and leaders of Okpe Union at one dispensation are remembered today for the Sapele land victory and restoration Okpe monarchy institution in 1940s. Finally, some Okpe distinguished personalities are remember today for the building of the modern royal palace of the Okpe Kingdom that began in 1994.
What have we done for Okpe, that the future generation will remember us for? Since our sons and daughters have refused to invest private or attract public institution of higher education to Okpe Kingdom, 2019 election is around the corner and we have large quantity of land open for the establishment of universities. I will urge the Okpe Union worldwide to partner with His Royal Majesty, Orhue 1st Orodje of Okpe Kindom to organize and invite the political ruling class, friends and philanthropists for a fund raising of Okpe University, nothing is impossible, if we think it, believe in it and work towards it, it is achievable, even Rome was not built in a day.
Establishing a university in Okpe Kingdom will attract investors, fasten development and economic transformation of the Kingdom. The future generation of Okpe Kingdom will be proud to remember us for such effort and legacy. As we work collectively and assiduously for Okpe to rise and occupy her place of pride in the Nigeria Socio-political sphere and global economic space, I strongly believe in the Okpe prophetic Song that says Onorhomu r’ Okpe.
Long Live the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom!
Long Live the Okpe Union North America!
Long Live Okpe Kingdom!