Ogboru Loss 2011 election because of this division.
The urhobos constitute about 60% of the population of Delta state yet their voice are not to be reckoned within the socio political and economic equation of the state.
The challenges facing the urhobo nation is that of central leadership and unity, the urhobos in recent times has been sharply divided along political lines this various groups such as UPF,UCF and other political pressure group has further decimate the unity and strength of its people as they are all fighting against the interest of the urhobos because of their personal and political gains. the lack of central leadership among the urhobos has further taken us back to the babylonian era before the advent of Mukoro Mowoe UPU era.
Moreso the UPU which is suppose to be our focal point of reference has been sharply divided as a result of subversive tendencies displayed within the rank and file of its leadership,in recent time the decisions of this great body has been viewed from the lenses of political affiliation, financial inducement and self seeking arrangements, thus making it difficult for them to galvanise support politically for the collective interest of the urhobo nation.
it is my sincere belief that for urhobos to bounce back to the era of Mukoro Mowoe,the founding father of this urhobo apex body, who ruled selflessly without blemish, men of proven integrity must be brought on board to turn the tide around.
it is instructive to note that on the political front Chief ovedje Ogboru lost the 2011 governorship election in Delta state partly due to the awful role played by some prominent urhobos who saw nothing good in producing a governor of urhobo extraction that will not line their pocket with silver and gold, they rather for their selfish reasons prefer to support a governor from other tribe that will enrich their financial status,thus the urhobos tear and pull themselves down for personal gain than the collective good of the urhobo people.
Economically the Urhobo of our era must not only identify her challenges, it must confront such challenges with a clear national vision, which must not be known to the leadership alone, but also to the average Urhobo man and woman. Again, the Urhobo voice should be heard on major national and regional issues. Urhobo is the second largest group in the Niger Delta, coming after the Ijaw. Yet, on the Niger Delta issues, the Urhobo voice has been dormant, while those of the ijaw and Ogoni are heard clearly through their Ijaw National Congress and the MOSOP machineries, respectively. Such that today, the Federal Government and the oil companies operating in the Niger Delta often sneeze whenever the Ijaw and the Ogoni people cough. If these people talk and they get much of what they want, and we play the good boy by not talking and get nothing, why must we continue to sing a song that takes us to bed hungry each night?
We must have to review our survival strategies both at the state and national.
Ese Sanco
PG Urhobo development and Unity forum