…raise the alarm of Urhobo going into extinction
Ahead of the 2023 governorship race in Delta State, gubernatorial candidate under the auspices of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, has promised to take investments to the nook and cranny of the state, lamenting that “93.4 percent of all the businesses in Delta State have relocated”.
The Industrialist spoke on Monday July 4th 2022, while addressing President Generals of the 24 kingdoms under the Forum of Urhobo President Generals in Uvwie Hall, Uvwie local government area of the state.
“If I can be the largest private investor in Uvwie local government, then I can take investments to other parts of Urhobo land as well”, he vowed.
The former minister of State for education, who was so passionate, announced that he is the only Urhobo son in the governorship race.
“If I am truly an Urhobo son, go back to your books, there is only one Urhobo man for governorship candidate in 2023. I present myself, my father is from Oginibo, my father’s mother is from Idjere and my mother is from Idjere.
“I have no other interest order than Urhobo interest. I am a patriot of Urhobo. My father was and what my father bequeathed to me was the patriotism of Urhobo nation and that is what is making me to struggle, nothing more”, he declared.
Gbagi, who is visiting the PGs for the second time charged them not to make no mistakes that would rob off on their children and that of the future generations, “I have come the second time, this time, I am no longer an aspirant, I am a candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
“Recall that it was in this party, the freest election in the history of Nigeria, including Urhobo where Olorogun Felix Ibru emerged as the governor of Delta State”.
Meanwhile, the Criminologist has raised the alarm of clandestine move by some individuals to force Urhobo into oblivion, ‘We have diminished to nothing else. If we continue like this, I am sure after you people sitting down here as representatives of one kingdom or the other, it will not happen again if we do not take steps to correct the injustice and this arrangement to make sure that Urhobo no longer exist in Nigeria.
“I know it for a fact that there is a move to ensure that Urhobo does not exist. It is not me Kenneth Gbagi but if I were to sit down here and allow the plan to materialize, this will be the last stock of Urhobo as a name that is already 85 percent gone with the balance of 15 percent because you are just answering Urhobo now for the sake of the name.
“Urhobo is going down because of this old theory of if it is not you, it can never be another person, I am very pained” he bemoaned.
He pointed out that past presidents like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Yakubu Gowon, Goodluck Jonathan among others who have visited his resident in Oginibo, Ughelli south local government area “know I have character and it is with that effort, I ask you Urhobos that if you want your children to prosper and be better in name and wealth than Gbagi, vote for SDP, Vote for Gbagi so that I can change the fortunes of the state”, he added.
In his remarks, High Chief Godwin Jefia Notoma, Chairman, Forum of Urhobo President Generals, expressed satisfaction with the SDP governorship candidate whom he said has been the only one who has identified with them even during his time as aspirant under PDP and now as candidate of SDP.
“What makes us happier the most is that all the Urhobo sons are candidates in their various parties but you choose to identify with us, go and return.
“The heart desires of Urhobo you have, don’t be tired of it, hold on to it to the end, it is God we are praying to. What is in your heart, we pray that God will give it to you.
“May it be well with you. We will equally sit down and think deep into your thoughts for Urhobo nation, the extend to which we will work, we will do and what we have to tell you, we will tell you later. Let it be well with you. Kenneth Gbagi, we know you, let this move for the Governorship come home”, he said.
