By Eseoghene Emuke
The authentic President-General of apex socio-cultural umbrella of the Urhobo people worldwide, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Olorogun Moses Oghenerume Taiga has described the formation and subsequent inauguration of “UPU Women Youth Wing” by Chief Joe Omene, as illegality taken too far.
It also described Omene, whose tenure as UPU President-General elapsed in December 6th 2016, as an interloper who has no both moral and constitutional power to function as PG of one Nigeria’s most revered socio-cultural groups.
Taiga stated that the UPU’s constitution upon which every elected executive member of the body derived its power has no room or any structure as “UPU Women Youth Wing”, and described the body illegal in its entirety.
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In a statement on Friday signed by the National Publicity Secretary of UPU, Hon. Abel Oshevire warned against usurping the authorities of the forum which at the moment are vested on Olorogun Taiga-led national leadership of UPU worldwide.
According to it, “The attention of the President General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), worldwide, Olorogun (Dr.) Moses Oghenerume Taiga, has been drawn to a story on page 33 of the Vanguard Newspaper of Friday, July 5, titled ‘UPU women youths wing elects leadership,’ and wishes to state categorically that the UPU has nothing like ‘women youths wing’ in its constitution.
“We wish to further state, unequivocally, for the umpteenth time, that Chief Joe Omene who purportedly carried out the inauguration of the non-existent body in his residence in Mosogar, is an impostor, whose tenure as President General of the UPU expired December 6, 2016, and has since ceased being a member of the UPU Executive.
“The Moses Taiga-led UPU Executive which was legally and constitutionally elected on January 2, 2017, at the UPU Cultural Center, Uvwiamughe- Agbarho, in Ughelli North LGA, remains the only recognised UPU body for the entire Urhobo Nation.”
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Taiga, while warning the then President-General to stop parading himself as UPU executive, posited that Omene’s actions including the inauguration of the women body as another action that has greatly embarrassed and portrayed the Urhobo Nation in bad light
He stated that UPU’s activities are not conducted in personal homes but rather at the Urhobo Cultural Center at Uvwiamughe or Okere Road Warri, the official headquarters of the UPU.
“However, against all wise counsel, Omene has continued to parade himself as the President General of UPU, to the chagrin of the Urhobo people, often saying and doing things that have greatly embarrassed and portrayed the Urhobo Nation and her people in bad light.
“One wonders why Omene who claims to be the President General of UPU will continue to use his private home in Mosogar for his so-called UPU activities, instead of the Urhobo Cultural Center at Uvwiamughe or Okere Road, the official headquarters of the UPU.
“We wish to use this medium to once appeal again to our people and Nigerians in general, to continue to see Omene as an interloper, seeking for relevance and recognition”, the statement further added.
