NIGER-DELTA: UPU IS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE URHOBO NATION.....MOSES TAIGA

OLOROGUN MOSES TAIGA

Olorogun Moses Taiga, one of the forefront aspirants for the position of President General of the Urhobo Progressive Union, the umbrella body of the Urhobo nation Worldwide, has reacted to
insinuations and accusations from his opponents.

Making this known recently during a media interactive session, the foremost businessman and philanthropist of great repute refuted the allegations that he (Taiga) has never been close to the UPU.

According to the Adjerese of Olomu Kingdom, "I was not close to UPU and Okumagba phoned me to contribute money? What do you mean by closeness? How do you become close to the UPU? UPU is what you do for your community. You just mentioned one (Niger Benue Transport Company, owned by me) that gives scholarships to Urhobo people”.

What is the UPU for? Is it not to develop the Urhobo nation? And if I am helping to develop the Urhobo nation, what am I doing? Or should I join the UPU where what we do is to go to Asaba, Abuja to collect money to share, is that the UPU that we should be close to," he queried?

Throwing light on his understanding of the UPU, "your UPUness is what I grew up to know that my father and mother did. And that is to contribute towards the growth and development of the community. Our great grand fathers contributed money for the training of Igho of Ohwrode and Ejaife from Okpara, who were both sent to London to study. They contributed ishele, itoro, ikibe, which is the same money they contributed to establish Urhobo College”.

“So my mother, who at that time traded at the market, cultivated cassava and contributed to the UPU, was not close to the UPU? When you go to UPU meetings, you put money down for the development of Urhobo; that is the UPU that my father and your grandfather were used to and that is the kind of UPU we want to set up. To me that is closeness... he responded.

Insisting that he prefers not to make reference to his past contributions to human development, society and Urhobo nation, Olorogun Taiga believes that, “all the things I've done were not to seek publicity or to be showy."

"All the people saying I didn't do anything for Urhobo, what have they done for Urhobo? What was Omene doing for Urhobo before he became Deputy President-General? Or since he became President-General, what has he done for Urhobo? Don't you wonder why Felix Ibru, who was a former President-General and former Governor of Delta State was not taken to Uvwiamuge during his funeral rites? They brought his body to Osubi and they carried him through Agbarho but, why was he not taken to Uvwiamuge? It is because the place overgrown with weeds, pool of stagnant water and others”, he retorted.

“Only recently, one of the Kings was telling me that whenever he is passing by to Ughelli, he doesn't look to the right when he gets to Uvwiamuge area because he is embarrassed by the sight of the place. Have you seen the roof? It was Agbarho women led by head of the Ewheya, Chief (Mrs.) Ohwojeheri, that mobilized themselves to contribute money to repair the roof because it was leaking. Are you not embarrassed? Olorogun Moses Taiga disclosed.

"Now, go to the place Mowoe gave to Urhobo at Okere Road, Warri, go and see the building, the so-called headquarters of the UPU, you can't sit down the way you are sitting here, the air could be so stifling. You, my children (journalists) go to the place, 18 Okere Road, and see the place called the cultural headquarters of your ethnic nation, Urhobo. It is such a shame.”

"It is easy to say the man is not close to UPU, that he is living in Lagos. But I spend more time here in Olomu; every week I am here. Wo de kpu urhie, ke wo kpo (when you go outside your abode, you return home). He emphasized.

“Don't you see that this house is used? It is people who are frightened of Moses Taiga that are saying those things. Why are they not saying those things about the other candidates? It is because a man of substance has stepped into the race," Taiga declared.

CULLED FROM URHOBO VOICE