Speech by Elder Jeff Obahor at the 2nd Annual Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Toronto, Ontario Canada and Convention titled ” Endergered Unity”. June 28th – 30th June 2024, presented by Vwede J. Obahor
URHOBO OVUOVÓ! URHOBO OVUOVO!! URHOBO OVUOVO!!!
Oyéfian… URHOBO dior vuovό…
We are a just U. As in the Urhobo in the UPU because the P progress we do rotely mention, is a wish and as for the U-Union that is the critical part because a people divided can never form a union. So for now, let’s ponder on this as we confer with ourselves in this conference…
President General of UPU, worldwide
Until we learn to give up the game of grievances and grudges…petty egoistic and selfish visions of what URHOBO should be instead of dealing with the reality and collectively chart a better path forward… URHOBO OVUOVO would remain an illusion and a rote mantra of aspiration.
A house divided against itself can never be united and can never progress or prosper. So according to Martin Luther King Jr, and I paraphrase, we either float together or we sink individually in silos, camps, or fragments.
So how did we get here. It’s a fact that a good study of the past consolidates the present and ensures the future. History must guide us to be better than our past – learn from it and make a better future for those coming after us. Our job now is to leave a better legacy than was bequeathed to us by the Mukoro Mowoes and the Jabin Obahors of the 1931 Urhobo Brotherhood Society (UBS) that morphed officially into Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) with its incorporation in 1946, that still stands today with an operational constitution of September 25, 1965 and under whose auspices we are gathered here.
The apple does not fall far away from the tree they say but I dare opine here that the UPU apple of today has fallen miles away from the tree and somehow doesn’t look or taste like an apple anymore. In our identity search and suffering crises, we are now more of an amoeba without shape or form rudderless. Personal agendas have been cloaked to replace the over-arching reasons why UPU came to be in the first instance. The main thrust of UPU is the “ekwómakugbe” of URHOBO sons and daughters. This is the first item of the Article 2 of the UPU constitution. The second item is on education while the third is about economic development of Urhobo people. All these dovetails to love, education and economic empowerment and political engagement, and participation for the sole benefit of our dear URHOBO Nation. UPU though apolitical, but must be well positioned to be counted, acknowledged, and respected wherever we exist either as a people or as UPU. Afterall, UPU is the second oldest formal union in Africa after the Africa National Congress (ANC) founded on January 8, 1912, in South Africa. If age can judge progress, please let’s ask ourselves here today, where are we in the spectrum of progress as a union.
The history of UPU which has become an academic exercise must guide our thrust henceforth. Our best achievements today are division, fragmentation and leadership tussles engendered by cushioned hatred and disdain for one another or for orchestrated silos that propagate better leadership and are peace or phantom unity but without a voice.
One big setback is our ego which in my modest opinion, is bigger than Africa. One upset and you stop aligning with your kiths and kins. You stop attending meetings because you feel insulted or disgraced, and the grudge starts, it gets amplified and then becomes not just a cancer but a contagious recurrence. Before you know it, a new body or association is born with the coming together of like minds for a start.
Then the honeymoon phase stops, and another fragment peels off to form their own assumed utopia of their concept of UPU or what only they can do better when it comes to URHOBO OVUOVÓ.
Our use of language on or at each other can be very uncouth, unreasonable and lacks emotional intelligence. Some of us, once the tap is open, the water just gushes out until the thirst to be seen or heard is assuaged at the expense of the unity of the larger gathering either I get my way, or we destroy everything thereby jeopardizing our collective fragile unity (if any truly exists then). This I call verbal diarrhea. There is a saying that some people speak because they have to say something, but wise people speak because they have something to say.
Our division, camp forming and fragments of URHOBO people and UPU currently has been and is still a result of words spoken mostly in anger, gossip (unverified third-party representation) and sometimes our homeopathic actions. The bible says there’s power of life and death in the tongue…and he or she who keeps his or her tongue keeps his or her life… Ona óta Oghene. From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. We are too quick to anger so in most meetings it’s all about raised voices as if there’s a medal to be won by who speaks the loudest or the most… So, we end up not listening to each other and only hearing but not processing…nothing gets achieved in such a climate except inherent enmities. We are very unforgiving, and we begrudge each other in silence but want to celebrate together. No, that is as good as sleeping with the enemy and flying the flag of pretentious unity – URHOBO OVUOVÓ.
We cannot progress because as a people, our first line of defense is our unity as our motto represents – UNITY IS STRENGTH. So, it begs the question, how can we survive first and then progress if we are not united? Our divisions no matter how micro or macro is the bane of Urhobo today as a people. A problem known is half solved but the other half is where we must now deploy all our resources. Let’s use my acronym STP-situation, target, proposal.
How can we make progress as the P in the union with so many preconceived notions, the craze to lead a faction and be relevant in your own eyes. Or either “inheriting” un-merited leadership with no idea of what it takes to lead or the abject lack of resource management including human capital.
Ékpakomé Mi Egwen but like Charlie Boy would say to Nigerians and I quote “Awa mumu don do”. While we are bickering and agonizing over pepper soup, owho and parties, other tribes are organizing for a better today and for better legacy and posterity for their children.
URHOBO OVUOVÓ… URHOBO OVUOVÓ… what can we show for the OVUOVÓness? It’s high time we sheathed all our factionalized and warring swords, appreciate our diversity in thoughts, lean heavily on our various professional experiences and started living the mantra of URHOBO OVUOVÓ. True unity is not the absence of descents but the collective aspirations to move forward for the sake of our people. Diverse opinions should be one of our strengths as a people and not divisive in outcome where we turn a brainstorming session into a debate meeting and end up focusing on the person instead of the issue. It’s not all about us individually but the whole. So next time one complains about breaking away from UPU or no longer interested in attending UPU meetings think of the mantra URHOBO OVUOVO. The same people who would not want to reason with you would be very willing to picnic with you… What a farce. But Keven Hart in one of his shows, said if we can laugh together, we can live together, we can love together. So, if we can jolly, picnic or mourn together, then by Jove can’t we live together to be true to our claim of URHOBO OVUOVO…
There have been different schools of thought as to who a UPU member is. I posit this; every child of Urhobo parents or a parent is automatically a member of UPU. Now reckoning with your location of residence, we can then ask are you an active UPU member and lastly, are you financially or resource invested in UPU? So, the idea of telling me to join UPU is ludicrous and counter progressive for us as a people.
While we can still adopt the 1965 constitution of UPU, we must also adapt in today’s digital sphere. Our governance structure must be built with the future in mind. A structure that embodies the best administrative practices holding respect for one another, accountability, resourcefulness and humility in leadership. I have always believed that popularity is not a skill and that you cannot give what you don’t have. Urhobo is so blessed and can boast of her children to do right by her. We can all steer this listing ship upright and sail in the right direction even in stormy waters and weathers as long as we are united in love for our people and are compliant and structured.
On structure, we have to ask ourselves, are we scared of change or progress? There are those who thrive in divisions among us and would do anything to keep it that way mostly because it makes them relevant and being part of those calling the shots within a very small faction that is so diminished in unity and legacy.
Change, yes but progress, no. Now with progress comes change. And change we must embrace. UPU has grown old and it’s time we grew up. In life, growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional. Today I pray we make that option mandatory for the survival and advancement of UPU for us and for our children, their children and the unborn members of UPU.
UPU HQ, our royal fathers and mothers have very big roles to play in this change but we, here today and those in other camps not here, must take immediate action to change course. Even though it serves individual purposes for now, it cannot take us to our URHOBO OVUOVO destination as a people or else we shall perish as a nation.
Enough is enough, breakdown those walls, forgive each other, love in earnest, be empathic in your words and deeds. Ota Oghene… Love one another…and it is also written,…a kind word turns away wrath.
Your best personality is your legacy what do you represent in your absence? Is it rancor, is it peace and unity? What legacy do we wish to bequeath to our children? I want to believe it’s URHOBO OVUOVO in truth and in spirit because right now, the URHOBO OVUOVO we so routinely spout in every gathering of Urhobos is a lie and I stand to be proven wrong with the “ekwomakugbe” starting today here in Ontario, in Canada, in Nigeria and in every country where Urhobos live.
No one person knows it all but let’s learn to communicate. Inside communication, stands unity within a community…to build a nation. The Urhobo Nation.
In conclusion, I do have the blueprint structure of the UPU Canadian arm of the Urhobo Nation but that is a discussion for another day and gathering… Till then, let’s be well assured that our unity as a people is not only under self-inflicted threats engendering outside manipulation to our detriment but it’s going extinct.
Ékpakomé Migwo…Isi ikokori miyenrin.
Urhobo Wado! Urhobo Wado!! Urhobo Wado!!!
Vwede J. Obahor 2024