One Okpe chief of recent told me that if Sheriff Oborevwori becomes governor, he cannot appoint or give anything to any Okpe person not approved by the Orodje no matter how the person labours to support him in his governorship bid. This obviously underscores why Okpe has been where it is as the least developed area of Delta State and the Niger Delta for some time now.
During a recent recruitment by Seplat Petroleum, another Okpe chief saw the application of a very qualified Okpe and declared “enemy of the Orodje can never get a job in Okpeland…”. He made the remark in reference to the applicant as one of those who opposed the attempt by the Palace to undemocratically take over the administration of the Okpe Union which has had a democratic transition for over ninety two years, and founded long before the restoration of the modern Okpe monarchy.
Though I personally do not believe that Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori believes in such dark and evil profiling of fellow Okpes along the line of being pro or anti Orodje or the current strange classification of some patriotic Okpes as “dissidents” it nevertheless casts a very dark and unfortunate shadow on the quest for Okpe governorship. Indeed if the long practice since 2006 of some freeborn Okpe being asked rhetorically “who is your father…” as they are turned away from the Palace which Okpe people collectively built, is extended to political patronage, it would be difficult to salvage the Okpe Nation.
The likes of Esezi II, Orhoro I, the Late Chief Ewetuya (who served the Okpe Union as Secretary General and President General for over forty years) and the several heroes of the Okpe Union who ensured the taxing of Okpe Union members and branches throughout the world to build the all Okpe Orodje Palace would all be turning in their graves today when they see what the Okpe Nation which they laboured for is turning to.
It is not late for Okpe leaders to embrace love and unity. If this heinous and self depraving profiling of some freeborn Okpes just because they stood for the truth that the Okpe Union, being a registered organisation with its constitution should determine its leadership instead of a one man imposed leadership, is permitted to continue, then Okpe is being pushed to a precipice difficult to step back from. Those responsible for this are said to be so vile that they have threatened to go to the extreme position the worst for those they have now declared the enemies of Okpe and the Orodje.
We call on the Governor of Delta State to step in and the Speaker of the state and candidate of the state ruling party to disassociate himself from the evil position. All Okpes are freeborn; being descendants of one of the four “gates” of Okpe. Slavery must not be permitted in a kingdom in which any male child can aspire to be an Orodje (Okpe King). May the Okpe Nation escape any self inflicted affliction. Amen!
*Akpederin Kingsley Ehensiri Esq., General Secretary, the Okpe Union,*
Sapele,
3rd August, 2022