The need to place the interest of the Urhobo people above personal gains to strategically position the Urhobo nation to regain its pride of place was the focus of a one day seminar put together by the Urhobo Historical Society to commemorate 77th year memorial of the foremost President General of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Mukoro Mowoe.
The seminar which held at the UPU House in Warri, was attended by prominent leaders from Urhobo nation from within and outside the country, the Mowoe family and the UPU executive led by the President General, Chief Ese Gam.
Delivering a lecture titled “The Relevance of Chief Mukoro Mowoe in Resolving Urhobo Present Challenges”, the member representing Udu, Ughelli South and Ughelli North in the House of Representatives, Hon Francis Waive posited that the legendary Mowoe’s drive for self-reliance and collective progress laid the foundation for modern Urhobo nation and sought the need for all critical stakeholders in Urhobo nation to strive towards attracting viable institutions to Urhobo land.
Hon Waive who hailed members of the Urhobo Historical Society for preserving the Urhobo cultural history noted that just like the challenges faced currently by the Urhobo people, the Urhobos in the time of Mukoro Mowoe were also faced with challenges like economic disadvantage, internal division, inter ethnic relationship, loss of cultural practice, internal division and limited access to education, but he was able to tackle them due to his genuine passion and interest to raise Urhobo nation above the bar.
The federal lawmaker called for strategic planning, alliance with various ethnic groups to advance the Urhobo interest, proactive engagement to pursue economic and political goals, as well as to reactivate the Urhobo spirit, just like in the days of Mukoro Mowoe and called for the Urhobo People to close ranks and return to their days of glory.
In his remarks, the President General of Urhobo Progress Union, Barrister Ese Gam described Mukoro Mowoe as a great achiever whose genuine drive for the economic, political and social progress of the Urhobo people
cannot be quantified.
He disclosed that the land where the Urhobo house is on Okere Road, Warri, was gifted to the Urhobo nation by Mukoro Mowoe.
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The eldest son of Mukoro Mowoe, Alfred Mowoe, thanked the Urhobo people, particularly members of the Urhobo Historical Society, for keeping the legacies of their father alive.
The director of research and special projects, Urhobo Historical Society Emmanuel Ogheneochuko Arodovwe disclosed that Urhobo nation was lucky to have had late Mukoro Mowoe and suggested the need for the political and cultural leaders of Urhobo nation to take a lead from the philosophy and ideology with which he led the Urhobo people in his time to achieve greatness.
