Okpe Leaders Affirm Urhobo Identity, Rebuke Claims of Separation by Prof Natufe, Other Mischief Makers
The President General of Okpe Union Worldwide, Okakuro Robert Onome, the 13 District Presidents of Okpe Kingdom and the Okpe Youth Council, on Wednesday advised Prof. Igho Omajuwa Natufe and other mischief makers to desist from spreading false claims that Okpe is not Urhobo.
According to the Okpe leaders at a Press conference, said that Okpe’s identity as part of the Urhobo ethnic nationality is rooted in linguistic, cultural, historical, and political ties.
Harrison Ekeleme, Chairman of the 13 District President-Generals who read the Press text and flanked by other Okpe leaders said that
Okpe dialect is one of the Urhobo dialects, sharing close linguistic ties with other Urhobo sub-groups.
They stated that Okpe people share similar customs, traditions, and practices with other Urhobo sub-groups, including ancestral worship and traditional age grades adding that Okpe Kingdom interacts and aligns with other Urhobo kingdoms through the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), with Okpe indigenes holding important positions in the organization.
They also said that Okpe is classified as one of the Urhobo sub-groups in Nigerian academic, governmental, and census contexts.
The Okpe Union leaders pointed out that Prof. Natufe, a former Vice President of the Urhobo Historical Society, had previously acknowledged Okpe’s Urhobo identity and questioned his motives for now claiming otherwise, suggesting that his actions may be driven by personal interests.
The Okpe Union leaders emphasized the importance of unity among Urhobo people, particularly in the face of political challenges and warned that attempts to detach Okpe from the Urhobo Nation could undermine the community’s strength and progress.
The Okpe Union Worldwide reiterated that Okpe is an integral part of the Urhobo ethnic nationality, with a rich cultural heritage and historical ties to the Urhobo people and urged Prof. Natufe and others to respect the community’s identity and traditions.
Here Is The Full Press Text delivered at the Press Conference on Wednesday by Harrison Ekeleme, Chairman of the 13 District Presidents-General :
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, OKPE IS URHOBO – THE PRESIDENT GENERAL OF OKPE UNION WORLDWIDE, THE 13 DISTRICT PRESIDENTS OF OKPE KINGDOM, AND THE OKPE YOUTH COUNCIL, ADVISE MISCHIEF MAKERS ON WEDNESDAY 30TH JULY, 2025
Distinguished Urhobo people here present,
Gentlemen of the Press.
Other protocols duly observed.
It is with great concern that we make this statement today that Prof. Igho Omajuwa Natufe who is based in the Diaspora, and some others have been spreading the wrong claim that Okpe is not Urhobo in utter disregard for the Royal pronouncement by the Udogun Okpe Council.
Prof. Igho Omajuwa Natufe is not based in Nigeria. How can he run the Okpe Union from the Diaspora against the solid postulates of Okpe tradition and the demands of the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC?
Funny enough, he was the first and foundation Vice President of Urhobo Historical Society (UHS). When he was Vice President of Urhobo Historical Society, Okpe was Urhobo. He acted as Vice President to Prof. Peter Ekeh of blessed memory. He was the one who led Urhobo delegation to the Itsekiri – Urhobo Peace Summit that took place in the USA on July 24, 1999. Why then did he lead the Urhobo delegation to that summit if Okpe was not Urhobo?
However, it was later discovered that Prof. Igho Natufe leaked the minutes of UHS meetings to Itsekiri people, so he was suspended and asked to resign. It was later found that the letter “O” in his name (that he had always hidden) was Omajuwa, meaning that he is Itsekiri in a way. This was why he initiated “Okpe is not Urhobo campaign” for motives unknown to Okpe people.
Efforts Made to Counter the Wrong Claim
We recall that our father, the late Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Orhoro 1 made frantic efforts to educate mischief makers that Okpe is Urhobo.
Orhoro 1 invited an erudite Professor of Sociology from the University of Jos, Prof. Omafume Onoge, and his counterpart from the University of Ibadan, Prof. Onigu Otite, to educate Okpe people on the fact that Okpe is Urhobo.
We also recall when the then President General of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Major General Patrick Aziza (Rtd) asked an Okpe gathering in the United States of America that if Okpe was not Urhobo, how come he, a complete Okpe indigene, was the President General of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU? Why was Barr. Isaacs Itebu, an Okpe man, the Legal Adviser of UPU under Chief Moses Taiga’s regime, and now the 1st Vice President General of the UPU? Yet some mischief makers in Okpe still say that Okpe is not Urhobo.
A few years ago when the UPU was to hold its National Congress, an Okpe indigene, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire was unanimously appointed Chairman Planning Committee; Chief Margaret Unukegwo, Chief Mrs. R.E. Amioku, Chief Mrs. D. Sakpaide and Hon. Best Ejinyere, amongst other Okpe ladies, were members of subcommittees. If Okpe is not Urhobo, why were these Okpe people assigned such important duties by the UPU leadership?
As usual, Okpe has always been well represented in many UPU activities. Okpe participated actively in all UPU cultural fiestas at every UPU Congress, so why are people still claiming that Okpe is not Urhobo? Clearly, it is shared mischief.
We, therefore, advise those spreading the fake rumour that Okpe is not Urhobo to desist forthwith, as socio-cultural facts confirm that Okpe people in Delta State and beyond are part of the Urhobo ethnic nationality, except for minor distinctions that some persons try to establish.
Reasons Why Okpe People Are Urhobo
Linguistic Affinity:
Okpe is one of the Urhobo dialects. We therefore, share close linguistic ties with other Urhobo dialects, though, like others, we have some unique characteristics such as the Okpe dialect, and the fact that Okpe is the only kingdom in Urhobo land that has Dukes helping the Orodje to oversee their various Districts. However, this uniqueness does not erase the fact that Okpe is Urhobo.
Cultural Affinity:
Okpe people share similar customs, traditions, religious practices, festivals, and naming patterns with other Urhobo sub-groups. Practices such as ancestral worship, traditional age grades, and funeral rites are similar across Urhobo clans, including Okpe.
Historical and Political Ties:
The first ever Okpe National Constitution written on the 13th of March 1945, and signed by all the Ekakuro and Ekpako of the 4 ruling houses of Okpe Kingdom clearly affirmed that Okpe is Urhobo.
Udogun Okpe, the highest decision making body in Okpe Kingdom on cultural and traditional matters had repeatedly emphasized that Okpe is Urhobo. Okpe Kingdom interacts and aligns with other Urhobo kingdoms as stated earlier, through the UPU, Urhobo Progress Union, the umbrella body of the Urhobo people which includes important representatives from Okpe who hold very important positions in the UPU, as earlier stated.
The first Organizing Secretary of Okpe Union Worldwide, and the first ever Okpe lawyer was Barrister Julius Eyituoyo Odiete of Etadievu Chambers. He was also the Pioneer and Second Secretary General of the UPU Lagos Branch. So in effect, he acted as Okpe Union Secretary General, and UPU Secretary General. He later became the Deputy President General of the UPU. He died as Okakuro, the Adene of Okpe Kingdom.
According to history, the Father of Okpe was Igboze. Igboze was buried in Okpe Olomu. Okpe Olomu people are the descendants of Igboze and they are the most senior community of Olomu. If Igboze (Okpe’s father) was buried in Olomu and Olomu is Urhobo, therefore, logically speaking, Okpe Olomu people are brethren to Okpe people. So, Okpe is Urhobo.
Orerokpe is the ancestral home of Okpe people and the headquarters of Okpe Kingdom. Orerokpe has always been the rallying point and headquarters of Western Urhobo right from the days of Chief Ayomanor Evwida who hosted all UPU meetings in its early days in his house at Edion in Orerokpe in 1934 with Sir Jereton Marierie as the Secretary. So, Okpe is Urhobo.
Orerokpe used to be the headquarters of the defunct Ethiope LGA (comprising the present Okpe, Udu, Ethiope East, Ethiope West and Sapele LGAs) before they were created. Does that not tell mischief makers that Okpe is Urhobo?
From the colonial history of Urhobo, the highest cash donation to Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, by any Urhobo King was by an Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Esezi II, Deveno Mebitaghan of blessed memory, who donated the sum of £1,000 to the UPU. If Okpe was not Urhobo, why such a huge cash donation by an Orodje to the UPU to develop Urhobo?
Again between 1942 and 1943, Urhobo Progress Union, UPU played a prominent role in resolving the Sapele ownership land case between the Itsekiri under Dore Numa and Okpe aborigines of Sapele.
In the same vein, sometime in 1952, the leadership of UPU wrote to the British Colonial Government to recognize the Orodje as the traditional ruler of Okpe people of the present Delta State.
Also very recently in 2018, the agitation for “Okpe is not Urhobo” came up again. Okpe people consulted with recognized traditional institutions of Okpe Kingdom, and made a publication in the Vanguard Newspapers of 26th March, 2018, stating clearly that the proponents did not have the mandate of Okpe people to state that Okpe is not Urhobo. That newspaper publication was signed by notable Okpe Leaders of Thought, Okpe Union (Worldwide), and Okpe Youth Council.
On these grounds, we hereby alert the whole world that the claim of “Okpe is not Urhobo” is a false alarm by enemies of Okpe Kingdom who want to bring down the shining glory of Okpe people.
Politically speaking, Urhobo Nation is now APC, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Our Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff F.O. Oborevwori is now APC, in support of the re-election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027 general elections. Any Okpe person calling for the separation of Okpe from Urhobo Nation is an enemy of Okpe Kingdom.
Geographical Location:
Okpe Kingdom is located in Delta Central Senatorial District officially recognized as the heartland of Urhobo people. Okpe people had long been part and parcel of the geographical region called Delta Central. In fact, Orerokpe was once recognized as the headquarters of Western Urhobo as earlier stated, so it is mischievous for any Okpe indigene to say that Okpe should be detached from Urhobo after so many years of oneness.
Academic and Constitutional Recognition:
In Nigerian academic, governmental, and census contexts, Okpe is classified and cited as one of the Urhobo sub-groups. However, some Okpe elites and community leaders sometimes assert a distinct identity for Okpe – trying to emphasize the sovereignty and political uniqueness of Okpe kingdom.
Nevertheless, this is usually more about autonomy within the Urhobo framework, and not a denial of Urhobo roots. Okpe is indeed Urhobo.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Okpe people are Urhobo, based on linguistic, cultural, historical, and political criteria stated above. While Okpe people maintain a strong sense of internal identity and royal heritage under the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, they are widely recognized both officially and traditionally as one of the major subgroups of Urhobo ethnic Nation in Delta State.
Let’s remember that we will be politically stronger when we remain united as one Urhobo Nation. Okpe Kingdom is one of the 24 kingdoms of the Urhobo Nation, and the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom is very well respected among the Urhobo Kings. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us be guided.
Okpe Wadooo. Urhobo Wadooo.
Thank you and God bless.
Signed:
Okakuro Robert Onome, JP,
President General, Okpe Union Worldwide,
Harrison Ekeleme, Chairman of the 13 District Presidents-General,
Comrade Moses Odiete, President of Okpe Youth Congress, OYC.
