By Andy Emephia
Stakeholders from the eight local government areas of Delta Central Senatorial District, including representatives from Okere in Warri South, convened on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at the Ughelli Kingdom Hall in Ughelli North to unanimously endorse the movement for the creation of Urhobo State from the existing Delta State.
Aligned with Urhobo stakeholders in the diaspora, the meeting emphasized that as the fourth-largest ethnic group in Nigeria, the Urhobos have been consistently overlooked in state creation efforts by successive federal administrations since the era of the Mid-West State.
Participants at the maiden town hall meeting, organized by the Urhobo State Creation Committee, expressed confidence in the proposed state’s viability.
They cited key advantages such as extensive landmass, a significant population, existing infrastructure, abundant natural resources—including vast reserves of crude oil and natural gas—power generation capacity, and a rich base of human capital.
They asserted that Urhobo State could not only sustain itself but also rival existing states in viability and development potential.
The National Coordinator of the Urhobo State Creation Committee, Hon. Chief Christopher Obiuwevbi, revealed that a bill for the creation of Urhobo State has been finalized and will soon be presented to the National Assembly by representatives from the area.
He emphasized that the creation of Urhobo State is a long-overdue recognition for the ethnic group, which has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through its oil and gas resources, even before independence.
Echoing this sentiment, the committee’s Director of Publicity, Hon. Dr. Wilson Odafe Omene, a former Executive Chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Council, reiterated that the demand for Urhobo State is rooted in fairness, equity, and justice.
He noted that the country’s largest gas reserves are located in Afiesere (Ughelli North) and Kokori (Ethiope East) and highlighted the region’s vast agricultural potential, including palm, rubber, cassava, and aquaculture, as evidence of its readiness to function as a standalone state.
In her contribution via Zoom, the diaspora coordinator for the Urhobo State Creation Committee, Olorogun Mrs. Omodoro Ogunlewe, affirmed the active involvement of Urhobos abroad in the statehood campaign.
She stated that advocacy efforts are underway to mobilize support among Urhobo communities in the diaspora.
Mrs. Ogunlewe urged all Urhobo sons and daughters, regardless of political or social affiliations, to unite behind the collective goal of achieving Urhobo State.
The highlight of the meeting was the unanimous adoption of a motion to pursue the creation of Urhobo State, which was passed by voice vote and received resounding support from all attendees.
