By Prof. O. Igho Natufe, President General, Okpẹ Union (World Wide)
January 1, 2024
Introduction
Fellow Okpe Citizens I greet you all. Ekpako mẹ, mi di ghwẹn. I bring you fraternal greetings from the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Okpẹ Union.
It gives me profound joy and a sense of civic responsibility to issue this NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO OKPE NATION on behalf of the NEC and the membership of the Okpe Union.
First and foremost, we give thanks to God for his blessings and guidance as we successfully navigated our paths in our respective endeavours throughout the year 2023. Second, we pray for God’s continued blessings and guidance in the New Year, 2024.
While we pray for ourselves, our families and neighbours, we also pray to God to grant us the will to forge a strong unity of purpose as a People to work collaboratively in our pursuit of the growth and development of Okpẹ Nation, a task which is fundamental to the ideological construct of the Okpẹ Union. As stated elsewhere, “Since its founding in 1930, the Okpẹ Union has played and continues to play a critical role in the development of the Okpẹ Nation, including the battle for the restoration of the independence of Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality in Nigeria”. (See, “About Us” in https://www.okpeunionng.net). As the mouthpiece of the Okpẹ Nation, be rest assured that Okpẹ Union shall remain steadfast on its historical mission of facilitating the independence of Okpẹ Nation, which is to struggle for the recognition of Okpẹ as a distinct ethnic nationality, and not an appendage of any other ethnic nationality. We shall continue to intensify our strategic collaboration with other Okpẹ organizations, as well as with other ethnic nationalities in Delta State and Nigeria, in the realization of this noble historical imperative.
The Year 2023
The year, 2023, like any other year in History was an admixture of joy, successes, and disappointments, as we grappled with the challenges of life. On balance, 2023 was a successful year for Okpẹ Nation as it began with a favourable Judgment of the Federal High Court on January 19, 2023 that upheld the autonomy of the Okpẹ Union in our suit challenging the purported dissolution of the NEC of the Okpẹ Union by HRM Orhue l, Orodje of Okpẹ Kingdom on October 3, 2020. This judgment was a victory for the entire Okpẹ Nation as it underlined the sanctity of the Okpẹ Union as a democratic organization based on the rule of law, and not subject to the autocratic or dictatorial diktat of any authority.
We, once again, celebrate the electoral victory of Okpẹ nationals at various levels during the general elections of February and March 2023. Our strategic advice that Okpẹ voters should not cast their votes in one basket by yielding to the 5/5 slogan of a political party was vindicated by the elections of the following, which produced a 5/5 for the Okpẹ Nation:
· Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori as the Governor (PDP);
· Okakuro Ede Dafinone to the Senate (APC);
· Barr. Ben Etanabene to the House of Representatives (LP);
· Okakuro James Augoye (PDP), Okpẹ State Constituency, and Okakuro Perkins Umukoro, Sapele State Constituency (PDP), to the Delta State House of Assembly.
We also celebrate the appointment of Okakuro Monday Igbuya as the NDDC Board Member Representing Delta State.
It must be emphasized that Okpẹ Union has never been at loggerheads with any Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, since it championed the restoration of the Modern Okpẹ Monarchy in 1945. The present schism between Okpẹ Union and HRM Orhue l was instigated by the ill-advised purported dissolution of the NEC of the Okpẹ Union on October 3, 2020, and the Orodje’s subsequent rejection of the recommendations of several peace missions.
While we reiterate our profound reverence for the Okpẹ Throne, we remain resolute in our defense of democratic tenets and good governance in Okpẹ Nation. Okpẹ Kingdom is not an absolute monarchy where a monarch’s pronouncements are considered “final” even when they violate basic democratic norms. We are not in an era of the divine rights of kings. To toe the path of TRUTH is a difficult choice that only a small minority with sound social consciousness can embark on. Those who fail to speak truth to power deceptively enjoy the fumbling of their leaders or monarchs in the public arena. For example, while a group of conscientious citizens, epitomized by the democratically elected Okpẹ Union, tells its monarch the truth that he is naked, the sycophants, “who are stupid or incompetent” fools, represented by the illegal executive established by the Orodje, tell the monarch that he is beautifully well attired, thus encouraging HRM to walk naked in the public. (See Hans Christian Andersen, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, (https://www.lajoiedelire.ch/en/livre/le-roi-nu/ ).
The intent of the purported dissolution was to convert the Okpẹ Union into an administrative unit of the Palace, a position which was stoutly opposed by the democratically elected leadership of the Okpẹ Union. To acquiesce to this would have been a desecration of the spirits of our Founding Fathers and a bastardization of the Constitution of the Okpẹ Union. This was well buttressed when the leadership of the so-called interim executive installed by the Orodje refused to participate in the peace initiatives, stating that the schism was between the Orodje and the democratically elected leadership of the Okpẹ Union. They recognized their illegal status but were ready and willing to be sycophants instead of speaking truth to power.
Notwithstanding the victory of January 19, 2023, we waited patiently for the illegal group to dissolve itself in obedience to the judgment of the Federal High Court. The leader of the illegal group, Okakuro Joseph Aboze revealed that his group had decided to “step aside”, but that the Udogun-in-Council advised them to disregard the judgment of the Federal High Court. This decision of the Udogun-in-Council, as transmitted to us by Okakuro Aboze, influenced our resolution to instruct our Counsel to prepare the Form 48 process which was served on the contemnors on December 20, 2023 at Orerokpe. In fact, Form 48 was birthed by the purported dissolution decree of October 3, 2020. We consider Form 48 and possibly Form 49 Process (if the acts of contempt continue) as a just and legal avenue to the restoration of democracy and good governance in Okpẹ Nation.
We strongly stress that Okpẹ Union places premium on the observance of the rule of law and the promotion of democratic principles in all districts in Okpẹ Nation. Therefore, we are troubled by the deterioration of law and order in Ugborhen and call for the restoration of good governance and the protection of lives and properties.
2024 AND BEYOND
We look forward to 2024 and beyond with optimism for the future of Okpẹ Nation. We shall adopt a robust monitoring policy in our review of the performance of the Delta State Government vis-à-vis the two Local Government Councils in Okpẹ Nation: Okpẹ and Sapele. In order to foster economic growth and development in Okpẹ Nation, Okpẹ Union is prepared to work with the Delta State Government and the two Local Government Councils of Okpẹ land.
We shall also launch key initiatives, including encouraging the use of Okpẹ Language in worship and the translation of Church sermons using the Okpẹ language, to enhance the Okpẹ identity and development strategy of Okpẹ Nation.
Okpẹ Union shall intensify its collaboration with relevant stakeholders to support the implementation of the teaching of the Okpẹ Language in Primary and Junior Secondary Schools of the two Local Government Councils of the Okpẹ Nation which has been approved by the Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
NEC shall re-submit Okpẹ Union’s letter requesting the Delta State Government to recognize Okpẹ as a distinct ethnic nationality.
Stay tuned for further information, including NEC’s programme for the celebration of Okpẹ Union’s Founders’ Day on May 16, 2024.
On behalf of the Okpẹ Union I wish you and your families a Prosperous New Year, 2024.
Prof. O. Igho Natufe,
President General, Okpẹ Union (World Wide)
