Urhobo Traditional rulers broker peace between Oghior, Udu Monarch

The lingering crisis between the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, HRM Barr E.B.O Delekpe JP, Owhorhu 1 and the people of Oghior Community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State over stranger’s tag and traditional issues surrounding composition of the Udu Traditional Council have been resolved by the Forum of Urhobo Traditional Rulers with the Udu monarch agreeing to toll the line of peace henceforth.

At a meeting of Urhobo Traditional Rulers which was held at the palace of the Owhorode of Olomu, HRM R.L. Ogbon Ogoni Oghoro 1, on Tuesday with 10 traditional rulers in attendance, the grievances of Oghior Community which threatened to break away from Udu Kingdom on account of the tag of stranger element was addressed and concluded that no stranger element exists in Udu Kingdom.

Inside sources at the meeting disclosed that all the conditions for peace listed by Oghior Community were adopted by the Traditional Rulers present and also accepted by the Udu Monarch, who was said to have complained that his anger was triggered by the way and manner Oghior community took the media campaigns against him over the matter.

Among the conditions adopted were the abolition of the stranger element tag against Oghior Community or any other community in Udu, strict adherence to the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict of 1979 on order of succession to the Throne of the Ovie of Udu Kingdom and composition of the Udu Traditional Council.

The Urhobo Traditional Rulers therefore gave an ultimatum of less than 6 months up to December 2021 for the Udu Monarch to properly constitute the Udu Traditional Council in line with the Traditional and Chiefs Edict of 1979. The meeting also resolved that the Udu Monarch should ensure five illustrious sons or daughters of Oghior Community be conferred with Chieftaincy titles as a token of full reconciliation and harmonious relationship in no distant time.

The monarchs appealed to the Oghior community to be patient with the Udu Monarch, commending Oghior for their peaceful disposition while the crisis lasted. They also condemned the stranger element saga in the crisis stressing that any book wherein anybody or community was referred to as stranger must be discountenanced and totally discarded as that cannot make for peace among the people.  

The monarchs who were at the meeting include the Owhorode of Olomu, the Ovie of Mosogar, the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, the Okobaro of Ughievwen, the Ovie of Umiaghwa-Abraka, the Ovie of Agbon, the Ovie of Ogor, the Ovie of Agbarha–Warri, the Orovworere of Effurun-Otor and the Ovie of Okparabe Kingdoms with the Owhorode of Olomu presiding.

The Oghior delegation was led by Olorogun Vincent Oyibode, Commissioner, DESOPADEC and Chief Robert Balance with other illustrious sons and daughters of Oghior in attendance.  

 President of Oghior community, Mr. Paul Okome, in his reaction to the outcome of the meeting, expressed delight, stressing that Oghior had been vindicated again.

‘’This matter was earlier addressed by the Otota of Udu Kingdom, High Chief Sam Odibo who resolved it exactly the same way the Urhobo Traditional Rulers tackled it.

Again and again, Oghior has been vindicated and today’s victory is nothing but victory for truth, fairness and Justice. I also want to commend the doggedness of Oghior leaders for their resilience in fighting for what is right. I congratulate all Oghior sons and daughters for the prayers and support these past months. We have won and we dedicate this victory to the unity of the Udu Kingdom’’, Okome added, thanking the Forum of Urhobo Traditional Rulers for the courage in standing for truth even though one of their members was a party to the dispute.

Meanwhile, massive jubilation has erupted in the Oghior community as news of the outcome of the meeting filters into the town with the men and women taking to the streets to celebrate their victory, yet again.  

By : Okorohohi Michael, Warri

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