According to popular American writer and life coach, John C. Maxwell, author of over 70 books on leadership, “Everything rises and falls on leadership”.
The build-up to the historic visit of the Urhobo traditional rulers to Okuama, and the implementation of the same on 4th July 2024 underscored the truth of the statement by John Maxwell above. It is just over one year since His Royal Majesty Dr. Emmanuel E. Sideso, Abe 1, JP, OON, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom took over as Chairman of Urhobo Traditional Rulers Forum. Within this short time, Abe 1 has already demonstrated why his colleagues chose him to lead them. As His Majesty has done in the Uvwie Kingdom over the past 16 years that he has sat on the throne, he has brought dexterity, courage, foresight, and integrity to monarchy and royalty in Urhobo land.
This was amply demonstrated in the July 4 visit to Okuama. Preparing for the Okuama visit began with meetings and consultations with relevant stakeholders and concerned groups over the plight of the distressed people of Okuama. Their plight relates to the crises over land disputes with neighbors which led to the death of soldiers and countless civilians, and the demolition of the community by the Nigerian Army. As an immediate measure of ameliorating the sufferings of the victims, the Delta State Government set up an Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) Camp in Ewu Community, a considerable distance from Okuama. Okuama’s location is on the River Forcados bank, far away from the hinterland. The occupying army vacated the besieged Okuama after several weeks. The expectation was that as soon as the army vacated the community, the Federal and State Governments would move in quickly to rebuild part of the community at least, so the people could resume their normal lives.
That expectation, as things stand, appears above the bar. In light of the above, concerns began to develop within the leadership of the Urhobo people about the plight of their brothers in Okuama. Several meetings were called at the instance of Abe 1 on the matter which had far-reaching resolutions: First, a visit to the IDP Camp and the Okuama Community itself was considered necessary so that the Royals see things for themselves. The option of sending Chiefs or emissaries on the kings’ behalf was completely ruled out! Second, the apex authoritative body, the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) had to be brought in collaboration for the visit. And third, the visit must not be done empty-handed. Following the Urhobo adage that the bare hands give to sweet taste, it was resolved that food items and other materials must be brought to the distressed people both in the Camp and in the deserted Okuama Community.
Like King David in the Bible who would lead the Israelites to battles from the front, The Royal Majesties led this auspicious visit of solidarity and compassion from the front. His Majesty, Dr Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, led the team. By 7.00 am on the agreed date of 4th July 2024, HRM Dr. Emmanuel Sideso’s vehicle pulled out of the garage heralded by the blaring sound of the siren of the Hilux van that drove ahead of him. An 18- seater bus conveyed several palace chiefs and the media team.
The convoy was followed at the rear by a big lorry loaded over the night, which moved tiredly behind the others, slowed by the weight of its luggage. At Ughelli, about 20km from the Uvwie Palace, the motorcade grew longer, the Orodje of Okpe, His Royal Majesty Maj. Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), Orhue 1; The Okobaro of Ughievwen, His Royal Majesty Dr Matthew Ediri Egbi, Owahwa II; His Royal Majesty Richard Okerefe, The Ovie of Agbarha; and His Royal Majesty Solomon Akporherie Okukeren III, The Ovie of Arhavwarien, had all joined the entourage. The President General of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and his officers soon joined. Everything happened with mathematical precision and military discipline.
The Monarchs were on a mission in answer to the divine question, “Where is thy brother”? As the items designated for the IDP Camp were being offloaded, HRM Dr Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, and his royal entourage were ushered into the visitor’s room where he read his address to journalists and other people present. The message was precise, clear, and unequivocal.
They had not come for the fun or accolades – it was strictly a mission to check up on a brother in distress, to empathize with him, and call the attention of the authorities to provide a permanent solution to his situation. That permanent solution would involve rebuilding the community, or at least providing critical infrastructures in the community, such as schools, health centre, pipe-borne water, and homes. It would also involve looking into the remote and immediate causes of the crises and resolving them permanently to forestall future re-occurrences.
While sympathizing with the Federal Government for the loss of its officers in the crises, as well as the Okuama Community for the loss of its citizens, The Uvwie King, Abe 1 counseled that peace is always better to be sought than crisis, as the price of war is always costly. The presence of His Royal Majesty Maj. Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd) Orhue 1, The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom added a unique dimension to the entourage, and when he spoke, his words reflected experience. Considering the helpless mass of people, especially children in that confinement, exposed to cold air and open environment, the Orodje urged the managers of the Camp to take health and sanitary precautions most seriously, as there has been news of the outbreak of cholera in some parts of Nigeria over the past weeks. After that, His Royal Majesty, Dr Emmanuel Sideso then led the entourage around the Camp to further see things for themselves. It was in the course of this mini tour that the challenge of inadequate infrastructure and the plight of the people were brought in bold relief to the visiting team.
Most of the inmates slept on bare floors on the veranda as there were no adequate rooms and mattresses to go around; the sick bay was inadequately equipped; and the inmates were poorly fed. They rarely ate eba, and when they did, meat was either missing or too infinitesimal in the soup. They ate mostly noodles. It was thus a thing of joy to them that the kings included bags of garri among the items they brought. If these sad discoveries left distasteful feelings among the Monarchs, they got even more depressed when the Camp Rep could not present the new borehole and water tank the monarchs had paid for.
There was no new borehole in sight, only an old one stood on wood. The team soon set off for the second phase of the visit. This was the more daunting and tasking phase. It involved first, a 10km drive to Okparabe Waterfront, and thereafter, a 35-minute drive on a speedboat to Okuama on the River Forcados. There were already about 10 speedboats waiting to ferry the entourage, by the time the team arrived, and another bigger one for the items.
The Royals, five in number, soon alighted from their sealed air-conditioned, padded vehicles, put on life jackets on their royal robes, and with the support of their assistants, managed themselves into the waiting speedboats, the seats made of planks, placed across, joining one end to the other. It was a wonderful sight to behold, and for those vast in Scriptures, it evoked celestial imaginings, about how Christ left his throne above, and humbled himself to become man, to save man.
It was significant that the Royals rode in similar simple boats as the other people on the entourage, (even when they could have easily afforded more exotic ones). It depicted Christlikeness, humility, and simplicity, which was quite significant. The journey was without any hitches. The villagers had been informed of this historic Royal visit and had stood at the river bank in excitement and anticipation for hours before the entourage arrived. Once again, HRM Dr Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1 speech was straight and without equivocation – this measure was only temporary, to manage a very dire situation.
The ultimate goal was a permanent solution in the form of resettlement of the people of Okuama, and returning their lives to what they used to be before March the 14th 2024. That will require political will and a sense of duty from the Federal and State governments. As expected, the villagers couldn’t have been more thankful. Hidden away in the countryside 25-minute drive on water from land, and sandwiched between hostile neighbors that threaten them continually, they had thought they existed without brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers; and without a people to call their own. Despite that their Urhobo speech was impeccable, and they had gifted the Urhobo arguably the most enterprising clergyman to have come from the Niger Delta, the late Bishop Agori Iwe, (1906-1979), first ordained Bishop in Urhoboland and the entire Midwest, first Bishop of Benin Diocese (Anglican Communion), they had nonetheless thought of themselves as abandoned, forgotten and alone. This historic visit changed that perception entirely.
The Okuama people sang and clapped and danced and knelt in thanksgiving to God and the Monarchs for daring the waves to reach them in distress. After exchanging pleasantries and goodbyes, the team got into their speedboats and began the journey back to Okparabe Waterfront and thereafter to their destinations. When leadership in an organization, city, or state is right, somehow, things fall into place and progress is registered. The advanced societies are what they are at present because of purposeful leadership. There is a quiet innovation inspired by purposeful leadership in Urhoboland at present, whose inspiration and drive is His Royal Majesty, Dr Emmanuel Sideso Abe 1. It is an innovation that can birth our dearest dream of Unity and Peace in Urhoboland soon!
