GLOBAL UNION NARRATES HOW FOUNDING FATHERS RESTORED OKPE MONARCHY
- LAUDS AKE, ERO, EDEGHE, OGODO, OTHERS FOR CREATING PARADIGM SHIFT IN ETHNIC ENGAGEMENT IN NIGERIA.
Founding Fathers of the Okpe Union were at the weekend praised for contributing immensely to the development of Nigeria and donating several years of their youth to the service of the Okpe Nation.
‘’Exactly 95 years ago , a group of young Okpe nationals, mostly cooks and stewards here in Lagos, had the consciousness to found the Okpe Union as the mouthpiece of the Okpe ethnic nationality’’
The Okpe Union at its 95th Anniversary applauded Thomas Ake, M. A. Ero, Chief Edeghhe and J. K. Ogodo for inspiring Okpe people and creating a paradigm shift in ethnic engagement in Nigeria.
‘’We are gathered here today, at the same spot and on the same day of the Founding of Okpe Union. The young Okpe nationals who bequeathed us Okpe Union had the vision to establish a vehicle for the articulation, promotion and defense of Okpe national interests in a multi-ethnic Nigerian mosaic. We are proud to be the beneficiaries of the trust placed on our shoulders to be the mouth piece of the Okpe Nation’’
In a statement issued by the Okpe Union President General (Worldwide), Prof Igho Natufe, the Union lauded the leadership qualities of Uweriavwe Ake, J. U. Igberiewe of Okuokpokpor, E. Uwerhievwe and J. E. Ewhiewhie
Particularly, the statement praised the Okpe Union Founding Fathers for the restoration of the Okpe monarchy.
‘’Following the assassination of HRM Esezi l in 1779 (reign: 1770-1779), Okpe Nation experienced an interregnum for 166 years before a new monarch was crowned on January 1, 1945, thanks to the Okpe Union. It is instructive to note that, there were then several Okpe leaders who voiced serious trepidation about the restoration of the Okpe monarchy, fearing that it could lead to another dictatorship like the reign of Esezi l. It was only after this trepidation was addressed in 1942 that the leaders of Okpe Union continued with their advocacy for the restoration of the Okpe monarchy.
The Union listed His Royal Majesty, Esezi ll, (1945-1966), His Royal Majesty Orhorho l, (1972-2004) and His Royal Majesty, Orhue l (since 2006) as the three occupants of the throne.
‘’While the reigns of HRM Esezi ll and HRM Orhorho l ushered in a period of democratic development, peace and harmony in their relationships with Okpe Union, the reign of HRM Orhue l has been drifting systematically towards the dictatorship like that of HRM Esezi l’’.
