The President of the Urhobo Progress Union Worldwide, Olorogun Moses Taiga has flayed the newly inaugurated Federal Government over the establishment of a Fulani radio amidst what he termed the worsening state of security and deteriorating conditions in the country.
In a statement released to the press signed by Taiga, he tasked President Muhammadu Buhari and all State Governors to spend the next four years to work for the economic upliftment of Nigerians.
He said, “There is worsening insecurity in Nigeria, including Urhoboland. The condition in Urhoboland is worsened by the activities of herdsmen by the massive destruction of our farmlands, which is our mainstay of existence. Urhobo towns and villages such as Abraka, Eku, Uwheru, Ethiope West, Ethiope East, Ughelli North, Ughelli South and many more communities continue to be under siege by Fulani herdsmen.
Decrying the establishment of a Fulani radio station at this time, the PG described FG’s action as insensitive and ill-timed. “The Urhobo Nation is appalled by the setting up of a Fulani Radio. Whatever the argument the government may put forward, this radio station is ill-timed and insensitive to the feelings of the Urhobo people and other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria whose portions of land, towns and villages the Fulani herdsmen have forcefully taken over. The UPU appreciates the need to promote the speaking of indigenous languages, but any government effort should be holistic or each ethnic group should be left on its own to preserve its culture and language. The selective promotion of the Fulani language has heightened tension among ethnic nationalities in the country and the project should be jettisoned at once,” the statement read.
He further called for the practice of true federalism. “While we believe in one Nigeria, the Nigerian federal system as currently constituted is not effective. The Urhobo Nation demands a true federalism where the component units will be in control of their resources and pay taxes to the Federal Government. The UPU reassures the Urhobo Nation that it is working hard to ensure that there is peace and security in Urhobo land. We are a peace loving people and the UPU will continue to work towards ensuring that peace reigns in Urhobo land,” he concluded.
The Urhobo Progressive Union is the umbrella body of the Urhobo people home and abroad. It is also the Urhobo Nation’s principal cultural agency founded in 1931 to meet the development needs of the Urhobo people, who represent the fourth largest ethnic nationality of Nigeria. The Urhobo Progress Union is arguably the oldest socio-cultural organization in Nigeria. It has spearheaded the campaign for the progress of the Urhobo people from British Colonial Times to the present time, including the founding of the famous Urhobo College, Effurun, in 1948.
