Sons and daughters of the Urhobo ethnic nationality have called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to as a matter of urgency consider the creation of Urhobo State through a speedy legislative process in the national Assembly.
This report was the basic highlight at the Town Hall meeting organized by the Urhobo State creation committee held at Ughelli Kingdom Hall along Isoko Road, Ughelli Delta State on Saturday 18th January, 2025.
Earlier in his address, chairman of the committee, Olorogun Christopher Ominimini Obiuwevbi threw light on basic reasons the creation of Urhobo State become a matter of necessity even as he charged the people both at home and in the diaspora to take it as a task to accomplish it within the shortest possible time.
Obiuwevbi, a former DESOPADEC commissioner dwelt on the natural resources with which the Urhobo land has been blessed, adding that for equity, justice and fairness, giving Urhobo people their own state is the best thing the federal government can offer them.
Besides numerically strength of the Urhobo people, he touched on the quantum of oil and gas production being donated by the Urhoboland without commensurate developmental impact on the fourth largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria.
In Chief Obiuwevbi’s speech, he hinted that if there is any new state to be created from the existing Delta State, it should be Urhobo State considering all factors in its favour.
Giving further details on the relevance of the pursuit of the creation of Urhobo State, Dr Odafe Omene, publicity secretary of the committee enumerated and expatiated on the numerous advantages Urhobo has over those which though we’re not as large yet given their own state referring to it as a process in short change.
He lamented that despite factors like viable economic variables, large expanse of agricultural landscape, abundant human resources among other positive factors that make Urhobo people to be so qualified to own a state, the federal government has been lukewarm in its attitude towards making the dream a reality.
The highpoint of the townhall meeting was the motion for the creation of Urhobo State from the present Delta State which was unanimously adopted by representatives of the twenty four kingdoms of Urhobo Nation.
Meanwhile, the technical committee on delineation headed by the committee secretary, has been working assiduously at extricating the Urhobo people who are being tucked into other languages within the boundary areas so as to have them included in the Urhobo map that is under construction. (URHOBOTODAY)
