By Zik Gbemre

With everything that has been going on recently concerning the Urhobo nation, perhaps there is expedient need for most of us to be reminded of the great sacrifices and contributions some of our past and present sons and daughters of our Urhobo lands had to make to bring all of us to where we are today as a people. And perhaps, this historical narrative will engineer and stir in us, the need to emulate the good examples and legacies of these heroes of Urhobo nation, and also realize that who, and what we are as a people, is far beyond our ‘individual’ ideologies and pattern of thinking. Therefore, we should always ‘think back’ before we act today in the interest of our tomorrow, so that we do not, with our very own hands, destroy the very foundation upon which we all stand in the first place. as noted by Confucius (c550-478BC) “Study the past if you would divine the future”. The subject issue was captured recently by a public affairs analyst, Mr. Smart Ofugara, in a beautiful piece.

Ofugara noted that: “The foundation of an association is done usually to congregate and foster collective goals and objectives benefitable to the flocks. It usually comes in various forms which in most cases are usually of good intentions. As a people existing with neighbors it is very imperative that when goals and objectives are pursued, it is done in harmony as no one or group leaves in a vacuum. This leaves me with the difficult issue of the urhobo cause beyond you.

“The distinctive but slightly different dialects yet understanding of each other by the Urhobo speaking people led the Great Mukoro Mowoe to form the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU). He, and those who formed the Union had very good intentions of uplifting the urhobo nation and her people as far as their vision could carry them. They recognize the value of education being the gate way to real exposure in a challenging world with vast opportunities. It was in the light of these objectives that scholarships were awarded to deserving individuals like Ejaife, a foremost school principal of the great Urhobo College, Effurun, and notably the founding of the school: URHOBO COLLEGE.

“As time progressed, I grew to hear notable names like Chief T E A Salubi, Dr. Esiri of ESIRI INFIRMITY HOSPITAL on Cemetery road, Warri. Jereton Mariere, Michael Ibru, Demas Akpore, and a host of other notable individuals who touched the Urhobo nation and the lives of her people. They did it without bias as uplifting of her people became paramount in their ways of lives and goals for growth. as a young man, I heard of famous names like Odibo, Edewor, Esiso, Olori, Ibru, Djebah, Sokoh, Harrison Jefia, Kpohraro, Munu, Irikefe, Dede, Brume, Gbinijie, Uloho, Ogigba, S D Obar, Obahor, Mosheshe, Iffie, Dafinone, Oghene, Jakpor, Ovie-Whiskey, Ukueku, Ideh, Gbemre, Notoma, Esisi, Jigbale, Mudiaga-Odje, Bakpa, Sido and very many others too numerous to mention. Suffice it to say that since I am not referring to any recorded history, but writing from memory, you will pardon me but focus on the issue of Urhobo nation beyond you.

“I have mentioned these names because they were employers of labuor, Traders, Pharmacists, Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Businessmen, Accountants, Architects, Bankers and even Engineers. They impacted the society of their days and were honored because of what they stood for. I remember going to Egini when Chief Odibo passed on some years ago, I saw a young man crying out his eyes; He said, “our Moses is gone, who will be our Joshua?” The fact was that this man was not related to the Odibo family yet he was pained because of what the late Chief Odibo had done while he was alive to uplift his people.

“In modern times, the Urhobo nation had grown beyond the narrow perspective of life. This is because the blessed Urhoboland has been of strategic importance to the collective survival of the Nigerian nation. Bordered around the Urhoboland are the Ijaws, Edos, Isokos, Itsekiris, Ukwanis. Residency in Urhoboland does not know tribes as every tribe in Nigeria has a stake in Urhoboland through employment, marriage, religion, properties or businesses. In this summarized dispensation, how has the core indigenes benefitted from these blessing which nature bequeathed on her land and her people? What have we taught ourselves that should build unity of purpose and economic growth for everyone in an ever-evolving world that is getting narrow every day? Has our tri-rivalry helped us? Has our tri-rivalry educated us? Has our tri-rivalry not been used against us? Has our tri-rivalry and suspicion not created insecurity and debauchery of the land? Has our narrow mindedness not left us near despondency?

“We have not done very well in our tri-communities. We have failed because of narrow mindedness. We have disappointed the current and future generation. We still have time to rectify these anomalies. We live in times when others built solid structures for ascendancy in business, economic stability and protection of sources of livelihood.

“It is said that Chief Alfred Rewane and Chief EK Clark have urhobo mothers. And there was the kind-hearted Godfree Otubu of Oghara town. It is safe for me to write here that one third of the Urhobo families share inter-ethnic relationships through marriages, trade and neighborliness. I bring this up because the bitter question before us all is if Chief E K Clark passes on, who will be our leader especially now that the reality before all of us is that we cannot live in isolation? When Senator David Dafinone led, who did he groom, what structure did he establish? When Alfred Rewane led, who took over as the beacon of light to lead? We all need to look beyond ourselves, and we need that foresight, forthrightness and unbiased goal for our dear people. We have become one. We break the same kolanut, we drink and eat the same pepper soup, banga soup, ukodo and Oghwo soup with Usi cooked with the same spices, we pay our dowries the same way, we tie the same wrapper and the same way, we schooled together and have our best and trusted friends across tribes, we married ourselves, we are cousins, uncles and aunties, we are one and the same people. Enough of this selfishness as we must promote our people, empower them, enrich our land, and see beyond ourselves.

“The true modern and model for emulation is late Senator Fred Brume. Here was an educated man who saw Urhobos and her neighbors beyond himself. His willingness to give a helping hand, his willingness to promote growth, his willingness to empowering of individuals has been most valuable, treasured and priceless. I wish Delta State University History Department would engage in a very comprehensive research on the lives and times of Senator Fred Brume. His time at Delta Steel Company, his private investments done with noble objectives but ran aground, his senatorial struggle and times as a political orphan, the politician he was, the people whom he empowered, and a host of other salient facts will make a good reading and teaching for what Urhobo cause beyond will be.”

Let me also add here that, one of the greatest illustrious sons of Urhobo land, whose legacy and exemplary life is worthy of emulation, is Olorogun Michael Ibru. Michael Ibru owned Ibru Fishing and Osadjere Fishing companies, and established a lot of cold rooms across the country. he was practically involved in all aspects of trade, commerce and industry. In fact, the Ibru Organization, was established as far back as 1956, and it became one of the largest conglomerates in Nigeria. By 1990, it had between 9,000 and 11,000 employees. The Ibru organization continued to grow through acquisitions and joint ventures in diverse businesses including brewing, construction and petroleum distribution, with varying degrees of success. The Ibru group also acquired extensive holdings of real estate for agriculture and industrial activity. By 2009, the Ibru Organization was a multi-billion-dollar business with interests that included shipping, agriculture, aviation, banking, oil and gas. The Ibrus are known to be a knit-together force in Urhobo land, as Olorogun Michael Ibru helped his brothers with their education, gave them stakes in the Ibru organization and helped them to branch out on their own. Today, they are still part of Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Federal Palace Hotel and Abuja Sheraton Hotel. Alex Ibru, chairman of Rutam Motors, met with newspapermen Stanley Mecebuh of the Daily Times of Nigeria, Dele Cole also formerly of that paper and Segun Osoba, formerly of the Nigerian Herald. With 55% funding from the Ibrus, they launched The Guardian in 1983, with Alex Ibru as Chairman and Publisher. Alex was minister of Internal Affairs from 1993 to 1995. Goodie Ibru, who had qualified as a commercial lawyer, became President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Chairman of Ikeja Hotels. Felix Ibru studied architecture in the United Kingdom (UK) and Israel, and after teaching at Yaba College of Technology, established an architectural firm, entering politics, in 1992 Felix became the first elected civilian Governor of Delta State. Succinctly, the Ibrus alone have contributed greatly to the development of Urhobo people and Nigerians as a whole. The Ibru Brothers have/had employed many Urhobos and also groomed many to become relevant and important in the society today. One of such beneficiaries of the Ibrus is Agwariavwodo, former Managing Director/CEO of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and many more. Up till date, many Urhobos are still working in the Ibru Group.

In the decades that followed, Great Ovedje Ogboru followed Michael Ibru’s foots steps by the establishment of Fiogret Fishery, Grato furniture and chains of other businesses that have empowered many Urhobos and Nigerians across the country. Ogboru’s sojourn in corporate Nigeria started as a Marketing Officer in Exchange Fisheries, a small Lagos fishing company. Exchange Fisheries became a “necessary apprenticeship opportunity” for him. And just aged 25, Ogboru left paid employment and started his own business in 1983. Banking on his rare sense of personal integrity and divine grace, he established Fiogret Limited, a frozen fish trading company. Fiogret grew rapidly into a global fishing conglomerate with fishing licenses around the world. Within three years, Ogboru established many successful subsidiaries of Fiogret in quick succession including, Grato – a foremost furniture production company; GLE Finance, a finance company with Bureau De Change operations; Sofimar Fisheries – a USD 5 Million capitalised, USD25 Million assets base Joint Venture with the former USSR Government; Abraka Rubber Industries; Ajalomi Shipping Company; West Coast Publicity Company; and Fiogret Express. He also got a banking licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria. With these businesses, Ogboru’s name became registered in global corporate consciousness as arguably then Nigeria’s youngest and richest business mogul and billionaire.

Though, Ogboru can be described as one of the ‘new generation’ breed of the Urhobo stock, but he is unlike many of our current new generation of Urhobos who have dumped their integrity and the virtue of hard work, to grab bread by any means necessary to consume for only today, without any consideration of tomorrow. I have decided to cite and elaborate more on the above two examples, to paint a picture of the sort of Urhobo entrepreneurs and developers we have amongst us. Sadly, as of today, what we have amongst us are people who are driven more by sheer ‘greed’ and selfishness. There is need for our younger generation to really study the likes of Michael Ibru and Fred brume, who have contributed a lot to the Urhobo nation, even though they are not recognized as they should, by their own people.

Nigerian patriots like Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello, were known to have mentored a lot of their tribes’ people. Our Great Chief Mukoro Mowoe also did quite very much for the Urhobo nation and mentored most of the young Urhobos. Mukoro Mowoe had a vision for the Urhobos, and he was not ruled by ‘selfishness’ or ‘personal greed’ – by selling his Urhobo tribe for a plate of rice, just like the present crop of Urhobo elites are known for. During the era of Mukoro Mowoe, down to Dr. Federick Esiri, the Urhobo nation was well respected both home and abroad, and was given its due place in the affairs of Nigeria.

I strongly advise that every Urhobo child and person should read this book: “THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHIEF MUKORO MOWOE”, 1890 -1948 written by Prof. Obaro Ikime. In fact, this book needs to be introduced in all the primary and secondary school curriculums in Urhobo land, for the younger generation to learn from. So that they can be knowledgeable about their great leader, his thoughts and vision for the Urhobo land and its people. With this, we would be securing and preserving our historical heritage, and instill in our younger generation the good values of unity, brotherhood, neighborliness. And not these divisive tendencies we have all around us today.

Zik Gbemre.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)