News From Nigeria
President General of Okpe Union Worldwide, Professor Igho Natufe, recently held an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos on a wide range of issues.
The illustrious son of Okpe Kingdom in Delta State, Nigerian-born Sovietologist, alumnus of the Peoples Friendship University, specialist in International Relations and Soviet/Russian Foreign Policy says he will not rest until he gets a distinct nationality for the Okpe Nation.
The former Professor of Political Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana (1978-1980), the University of Benin, Benin-City (1980-1989), and Senior Advisor to the Government of Canada (1970-1978, 1989-2011), knows where the problems of the Okpe Nation lie and how to keep solving them.
The Professor of International Relations at the Institute of Africa, Russian Academy of Sciences (2013-2015 and 2018-2025), Director, Ukraine-Africa Centre, Institute of World History, echoes the place of democratic tenets in Okpe Kingdom.
Currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Stratepol Consultants INC and author of Soviet Policy in Africa: From Lenin to Brezhnev and Russian Foreign Policy in Search of Influence, Natufe underscores the main thrust of Okpe Union’s ideological construct.
What does it feel like having a son of Okpe Kingdom as governor of Delta State, in the person of His Excellency Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori?
It is gratifying to have one of your own as the Governor of any state, especially for us in Okpe Nation. We are elated; and pray for his success. Fundamentally, we hope that he will uplift Okpe Nation and recognize Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality; just as his predecessor, H.E. Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa did for his Ika and Ndokwa people. By doing this, Okpe Nation will become an equal partner with other ethnic nationalities in Delta State to benefit from the Governor’s MORE/RENEWED HOPE agenda. A recognition of Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality will allow us to be included as a direct participant and stakeholder in DESOPADEC, for example.
The Okpe Union talks of the defense of democratic tenets and good governance in Okpe Nation. Realizing that Okpe is a kingdom, with a Monarch, what is the place of democratic tenets in the kingdom? And what does Okpe Kingdom is not an absolute monarchy imply?
The first part of your question: “what is the place of democratic tenets in the Kingdom?” suggests that democracy is alien in a kingdom. We do not subscribe to this thinking. We firmly believe that the observance of democratic tenets is fundamental for the growth and development of any system, whether monarchical or otherwise. Our position that Okpe Kingdom is not an absolute monarchy derives from the founding principles of the Okpe Kingdom by the four princely brothers – Orhue, Orhorho, Evbreke, and Esezi. Even though they were the great grandchildren of Oba Ozolua of Benin Kingdom (reign: 1481 – 1504), they established a democratic principle of electing an Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. The choice of the first Orodje of Okpe Kingdom was a marked deviation from the Benin tradition where the first son is crown king. In choosing the first Orodje of Okpe, the four Brothers settled on the youngest via a unique democratic formula. The eldest, Prince Orhue was too old and proposed that the youngest, Esezi ascend the Throne. This was because the two middle brothers, Orhorho and Evbreke were too quarrelsome. In a unique display of a novel democratic practice, the brothers decided to crown their youngest brother, who ascended the Throne as Esezi I, the first Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. It was a democratic experiment in contradiction to the absolute monarchical system of the Benin Kingdom. The four princely Brothers all agreed that the Orodjeship would rotate among the four Ruling Houses. The election of an Orodje is undertaken in two stages. Firstly, delegates from the particular Ruling House whose turn it is to produce an Orodje will vote for their candidates. The second stage is at the Udogun Okpe (Okpe Traditional Council) to ratify the election. On the other hand, it is incongruous to have an “absolute monarchy” in a democratic republican polity. It is contradictory for a monarchy to coexist with a republican system in the bowel of the same polity. This contradiction is exacerbated when a monarch attempts to rule a polity in which he possesses no defined constitutional authority to rule. When Nigeria became a Republic on October 1, 1963 it retained a House of Chiefs in each of the then four federating regions, in an attempt to replicate the British House of Lords, as the upper house in each of the regions. This gave the chiefs, who were traditional rulers in their respective domains, a constitutional role as parliamentarians. Thus, they saw themselves as both parliamentarians in the House of Chiefs and as monarchs in their respective kingdoms. This admixture was a conceptual blunder infused into the political system by the Nigerian political leaders in 1963. This blunder has been aggravated by the continuous failures of succeeding political leaders to resolve the contradiction resolutely by deciding on this crucial issue: Remain a Federal Republic of Nigeria and abolish traditional rulership OR declare the country a United Kingdoms of Nigeria. In the former, traditional rulers will be extinguished as their existence contravenes the diktat of a Republic, while the latter recognizes their constitutional role as heads of states of their respective kingdoms. Even as a head of state of a given kingdom, if we were in a United Kingdoms of Nigeria, the role of a Monarch, like the Orodje of Okpe, will be defined by whether the system is a constitutional monarchy (like the United Kingdom) or an absolute monarchy (like Saudi Arabia). If Okpe Nation were a constitutional monarchy the Orodje would reign but cannot rule. Conversely, if Okpe Nation were an absolute monarchy the Orodje will possess and exercise an unquestioned political and legislative power and authority to reign and rule as he pleases in accordance to the mediaeval concept of the divine right of kings, whose pronouncements are considered law, final and binding on all citizens. Constitutionally speaking, Nigeria is not a monarchy. Therefore, it is severely injurious to the political system to speak of monarchies in the polity. This injury is exemplified by the way several political leaders have used and abused traditional rulers across the country since 1960.
As the President – General, Okpe Union that is the mouthpiece of Okpe Nation, what is the ideological construct of the Union?
The main thrust of Okpe Union’s ideological construct is to promote, propagate, and defend the interests of the Okpe Nation in a multi-ethnic Delta State and in Nigeria. Towards this end, we consider it existential for the Government of Delta State to recognize Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality, a distinction which was extinguished by the British Colonial Government by wrongly classifying Okpe as Urhobo. Phrased differently, we are demanding the rights of Okpe Nation to self-determination. Fighting for freedom, the liberation of a people, a Nation, is a noble but risky venture which only a conscious minority is called upon by History to undertake. Historically, not all enslaved peoples want or understand freedom. Harriet Tubman, one of America’s most revered abolitionists of the 19th and early 20th centuries risked her life so that Black Americans can be free. Her “underground railway” project led to the freedom of millions of Black Americans, and defined the self-determination movement of Black Americans in the 20th century. The Okpe Union is playing a similar role in Okpe Nation.
2025 is said to be a landmark year for the Okpe Nation, with the commemoration of the 95th Anniversary of the Union on May 16. What does it portend to you as President- General?
It gave me great joy to preside over the 95th Anniversary Celebrations of the Okpe Union on May 15 – 16, 2025, at Obalende, Lagos. For those who may not know, Okpe Union is the oldest ethnic organization in Nigeria. We paid tribute to the following founding fathers who had the foresight to establish Okpe Union and served in the first National Executive Council of the Union: Thomas O. Ake of Mereje Town: President. M. A. Ero of Ughoton: Vice President. Inspector Odeghe (later known as Chief Odeghe) of Oha: General Secretary. J. K. Ogodo of Sapele: Auditor. Uweriavwe Ake of Mereje Town: Treasurer. J. U. Igberiewe of Okuokpokpor: Assistant Treasurer. J. E. Uwerhievwe of Esubi: Member. Uko of Jeddo: Member and J. E. Ewhiewhie: Member.
What is our message to those who made the anniversary a successful one?
I do not have sufficient words to thank all our members across Nigeria and in the Diaspora who made the 95th Anniversary a huge success, considering that they graciously provided the resources as their altruistic contributions to the growth and development of the Okpe Nation. Members of the National Planning Committee and the Local Planning Committee were marvelous. They are the pillars of the Okpe Union that did the heavy lifting.
In your capacity as PG of the Okpe Union (Worldwide), what would you say were the landmark achievements of the Union in 2025, and what are your projections, and expectations in 2026?
Keeping the Union focused on our goals and objectives. The celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Okpe Union definitely was the highlight of 2025. We registered new branches and members across Nigeria and the Diaspora. In 2026, we shall intensify our sensitization and outreach programme to various Okpe organizations and leaders (traditional and political) in pursuit of the recognition of Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality. We shall, simultaneously, intensify our advocacy for the renaming of Okpe LGA and Sapele LGA to Okpe East LGA and Okpe West LGA, respectively.
On the issue of political restructuring of Nigeria, what is the position of the Okpe Union, and what measures is the Union putting in place to firm up its position in 2026.
Okpe Union strongly supports the restructuring of Nigeria’s federalism. We are working collaboratively with other ethnic nationalities in different national organizations across Nigeria to affect this restructuring. For example, we actively participated in the drafting of an Executive Bill on the subject which was submitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as a submission to the Federal House of Representatives Constitution Review Committee. We are working with other ethnic nationalities and national organizations to ensure the success of these initiatives in 2026.
On the issue of Okpe identity and visibility, what measures do you have in place to consolidate on what the Union had achieved in 2025?
As stated above, we shall intensify our sensitization and outreach programme to various Okpe organizations and leaders (traditional and political) in pursuit of the recognition of Okpe as a distinct ethnic nationality.
The Okpe Union floated a bursary programme for Okpe students in higher institutions. What is the motive behind this, and what has been the size of the beneficiaries?
The motive is simple: we initiated a bursary programme for Okpe students in higher institutions as part of our efforts to actualize the vision of the Founding Fathers of the Okpe Union and to provide less privileged but talented Okpe nationals with higher education. The 2025 Bursary was awarded to 12 (twelve) Okpe sons and daughters, in line with the vision of the Founding Fathers of the Okpe Union to establish a base for human capital and economic development of the Okpe Nation. Recall that the Founding Fathers offered scholarships to FOUR Okpe sons to study overseas in their individual field of endeavor. This laudable policy initiative of our Founding Fathers should not and must not be allowed to die due mainly to the present economic hardship in pervading in Nigeria today. Hence, for the past three years, the Okpe Union has limited the award to Bursary in the meantime.
What is the relationship between the Okpe Union and the Media? There was once an allegation that some media organizations were engaged in deliberate distortion of facts regarding Okpe identity. What is your view about this?
We do not want to recast any distortion of facts regarding Okpe Identity that emanated from some media houses in the past year. We have moved forward beyond that. We are in a democratic political system where freedom of speech is highly recognized. But be rest assured that we are vigilant in reviewing all publications regarding Okpe Nation and we remain resolute in defending Okpe national interests and territorial integrity.
. We delight in transforming challenges into tangible opportunities, replies Kaita
It was encomiums galore for leading conglomerate, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc earlier in the week when Coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Daniel Friday Egga praised the company for its numerous efforts at delivering quality jobs to its numerous clients, including governments and private concerns across the country.
Speaking when the group of students from the country’s higher institutions honoured Julius Berger’s Director of Administration, Alh. Dr. Abdulaziz Isa Kaita with an Award of Excellence in Nation Building, the NANS leader said, for some of us, we grew up hearing about Julius Berger; we grew up seeing the enormous work Julius Berger has put into developing our country Nigeria. Also, we grew up to see that most of the construction works we find here in our country are done by Julius Berger; and we appreciate the quality of work you give to the country.
On the CSR efforts of the company, the student leader had more praises to sing of Julius Berger. Said he, we also appreciate your love for Nigeria by also contributing to the growth of young people of this country, especially with the Academy you opened for making sure you train young people to be able to contribute to the development of our country.
He admonished those in positions of responsibility to always act well, especially in the interest of development for the country saying, as young people we see the need to come together to appreciate those who are doing well in their own endeavours; in their own offices. You may feel nobody is watching you, but Nigerian students have their eyes everywhere. So, we see those who are doing well; we see those who are contributing not just to the development of this country but also to the development of young people. Those are the people, like your good self, we see as role models.
Stressing that NANS on its own has continued to try to put programmes in place to orientate and reorientate young people, mostly Nigerian students, against vices like drug abuse, campus prostitution, campus cultism, Egga, added the maxim, catch them young, as the Association’s guiding philosophy in the foregoing respect. As a result, he continued, NANS has taken it upon itself as a body to always see that we organise sensitisation programs in most of our campuses.
To the Award recipient, the NANS Coordinator said, it is a day that we have chosen to come and appreciate you, to come and say thank for all you have been doing; to come and say thank you for your decades of service to the country, Julius Berger, Katsina state and to the young people of this country. You have given your all, your time, your resources, your energy, making sure that you develop people, making sure that you mentor people and that is why as NANS we have to come to appreciate you today and the little way we can do that is by presenting our plague to you; an Award of Excellence, and to tell you that before you receive your appreciation in heaven, we want to appreciate you here on earth. We are saying to you that over 40.1million Nigerian students are with you; and we will continue to stand with you, whenever, wherever you call on us.
Responding, the Julius Berger Director of Administration thanked NANS for its thoughtful gesture and the moving words of encouragement spoken by their Coordinator.
He said Julius Berger has carved a niche for itself as a renowned engineering construction company that first entered Nigeria in 1965 with the construction of Eko Bridge, Lagos; and ever since then, there has been no going back on our efforts to be partners for progress in Nigeria.
That is why as a deliberate policy, we engage in many activities to further the growth of the country. Like the Academy you mentioned, including serial CSR efforts, we do them to ensure limitless prosperity not just for the company, but for our operational communities and Nigerian nation. And that is why, we delight in transforming challenges into tangible opportunities, Kaita said.
Apart from Egga, other NANS executives at the event include, NANS Director of Programmes, Fabong Godwin Nanla, Director, Gender, Mary Timothy, Director, Media & Protocol, Ahemba T. Enoch, Secretary, Shobande Aminat Olayinka, and the following; Salaudeen Afeez, Onoja Apeh David and Omede Onuche Sunday.
Team Julius Berger at the Award conferment were the recipient, Kaita, Head, Corporate Communications, James Agama, Media Relations Manager, Emmanuel Isibor and Assistant Senior Admin Officer, Bassey Effiong.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio over “the failure to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution, and to recall Senator Abdul Ningi who blew the whistle on the allegations.”
Mr Akpabio is sued for himself and on behalf of all members of Nigeria’s Senate.
It would be recalled that whistleblower Ningi last month was suspended for three months over his allegations that the 2024 budget was padded by over N3 trillion and that the country is operating two budgets.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/452/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to immediately take steps to ensure the reinstatement of whistleblower Abdul Ningi who was suspended from the Senate over his allegations that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.”
SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to put in place transparency and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the trillions of Naira budgeted for constituency projects are not embezzled, misappropriated or diverted into private pockets.”
In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “Granting this application would serve the public interest, encourage whistleblowers to speak up, improve public services, and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.”
SERAP is arguing that, “Directing Mr Akpabio to refer these allegations to appropriate anticorruption agencies and to reinstate whistleblower Abdul Ningi would be entirely consistent and compatible with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international obligations.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “The allegations by Senator Ningi amount to public interest disclosures and can contribute to strengthening transparency and democratic accountability in the Senate in particular and the country as a whole.”
According to SERAP, “Suspension of Senator Ningi by the Senate followed a seriously flawed process and it amounts to retaliation.”
SERAP is also arguing that, “Senator Ningi’s status as a whistleblower is not diminished even if the perceived threat to the public interest has not materialised, since he would seem to have reasonable grounds to believe in the accuracy of the allegations of budget padding and corruption in the Senate.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Mrs Adelanke Aremo, read in part: “It is in the public interest and the interest of justice to grant this application. No whistleblower should ever be penalised simply for making a public interest disclosure.”
“Directing Mr Akpabio to refer the allegations to appropriate anticorruption agencies would help to address the lingering problem of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects.”
“Directing Mr Akpabio to refer the allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would also ensure probity and accountability in the budget process.”
“Investigating and prosecuting the allegations of budget padding and corruption would end the impunity of perpetrators. It would build trust in democratic institutions with the ultimate aim of strengthening the rule of law.”
“Years of allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have contributed to widespread poverty, underdevelopment and lack of access to public goods and services.”
“Allegations of budget padding and corruption in the implementation of constituency projects have also continued to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens in several communities and the public interest.”
“Combating budget padding would improve access of Nigerians to basic public goods and services, and enhance the ability of ministries, departments and agencies to effectively and efficiently discharge their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.”
“Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”
“Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’”
“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the National Assembly including the Senate to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.”
“Section 81 of the Nigerian Constitution and sections 13 and 18 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act constrain the ability of the National Assembly to unilaterally insert its own allocations in the budget without following the due process of law.”
“Nigeria has made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.”
“Articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption also impose legal obligations on the National Assembly including the Senate to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds.”
“Article 33 of the Convention requires government institutions including the Senate to ensure the protection of whistleblowers against any unjustified treatment. Granting this application would ensure that these commitments are fully upheld and respected.”
“Senator Ningi is a whistleblower, who is protected under article 33 of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party. Senator Ningi is a whistleblower because of his public interest disclosures on alleged budget padding and corruption in the Senate in the context of carrying out his work as Senator.”
“According to our information, Senator Abdul Ningi, the former Chairperson of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), recently told BBC Hausa that the lawmakers sought the service of a private auditor and discovered irregularities in the budget.”
“Senator Ningi reportedly said, ‘For example, we had a budget of N28 trillion but after our thorough checks, we found out that it was a budget of N25 trillion. How and where did we get the additional N3 trillion from, what are we spending it for?.’”
“According to BudgIT, a total of 7,447 projects culminating in N2.24tn were indiscriminately inserted in the 2024 budget by the National Assembly. 281 projects worth N491bn, and 3,706 projects within the range of N100–500m, worth 759bn were inserted in the budget.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
7/04/2024
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
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