-By Zik Gbemre
UPU: TAIGA, ESE GAM, OPUDI MUST FACE AUDIT ON UPU FINANCES INCLUDING N250M OVWIAMUGE SECRETARIAT DEVELOPMENT MONEY RECEIVED FROM OKOWA
For calling them out over their ignoble desecration of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) by mortgaging it into a tool for political patronage, immediate past President General (PG), Olorogun Moses Taiga and incumbent PG, Ese Gam must be delusional to think they can wish their nemesis away by calling me names or peddling fallacies in the guise of right of reply.
That will not work. It is not business as usual. Olorogun Moses Taiga, putting words in the mouth of one Kenneth Young-Emretiyoma, started this so called right of reply by calling me liar, insincere, demonic, defamer and many more.
Days later, Ese Gam, came up with his own names dropping, proved I am Ex-officio of UPU and ended with me not having honour in my Iwhrekan home community in Ughelli South.
Taking it from the mundane to the critical, I can tell Ese Gam and the Olorogun Taiga mouthpiece that Zik Gbemre has become an institution not just for being Coordinator of Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC), but also on my overwhelming body of work as a social justice advocate.
I'm the only one in the history of Iwhrekan, who all segments of the community gathered to honour as 'URHUKPE' of Iwhrekan for my contribution to selfless community development as far back as 2003.
Present on that occasion were the inimitable Pa Chief J.K.B Gbemre JP, former federal lawmaker, Barr Pa P.E.S Ideh, Pa G.P Gbogidi and Pa Chief Dozen Ogbariemu, highly respected opinion leaders in the community.
Rather than get even with in self glorification, I would not be distracted by the campaign to beg the questions over the incalculable damage those who foisted Olorogun Moses Taiga and current misfit, Ese Gam as UPU leaders have cost Urhobo.
Regardless of the level of damage already done, Urhobo must rise up to do the rescue of UPU. Olorogun Moses Taiga and disowned Ese Gam Owe's UPU must be audited to what extent they committed UPU as a tool for political patronage and self aggrandisement.
A first reference for an audit would be for Olorogun Taiga, Ese Gam Owe and Abel Opudi to account for the N250M (Two Hundred & Fifty Million Naira) they got from Delta State Government under Okowa to supposedly advance the building of UPU Conference Hall, Ovwiamuge.
The trio were the signatories to the account when then Governor Okowa released N250M in response to UPU's request to make progress on the building project, they called it renovation of the Ovwiamuge Conference Center. DESOPADEC through Askia Ogieh, satisfactorily completed massive construction of Isoko Development Union.
Aside tarring of the road network in Ovwiamuge UPU Conference Hall Center by DESOPADEC, Okowa then released the N250M to UPU with the trio of Olorogun Taiga, Ese Gam Owe and Abel Opudi as signatories to UPU account at the time.
Till date, anyone familiar with the level of construction before Olorogun Taiga came in knows that level of funding assistance never had near commensurate value added to building that was already standing before Olorogun Taiga era. The money was not accounted for.
They personalised the money and shared among selves and there after used UPU to robe Okowa as 'Ochuko r'Urhobo'. Same Okowa through Askia Ogie's DESOPADEC completed the construction of Isoko Development Union and we didn't hear all the bootlicking.
They claim, on contributions to the development of the Ovwiamuge Conference Center, Taiga donated N25M. He never redeemed that pledge. He claimed he contributed N5 million as a startup fund for UPU’s 90th Anniversary celebration and covered salaries of UPU staff at Okere Road, Warri, and Uvwiamuge from his funds.
It's all half-truth. As a matter of fact, the first thing Olorogun Taiga did on receiving the N250M from Okowa was to remove his claimed N5M start up fund. The rest he, Ese Gam Owe and Opudu should explain how they shared it.
A day to the election that brought in Ese Gam Owe, Ifeanyi Okowa through a proxy from Urhobo Land gave 30Million Naira shared through some traditional rulers and council chairmen from Delta Central to mobilise votes from different Clans/Kingdoms to impose Ese Gam and his executives.
On election day proper at 12noon, Okowa brought 100M naira in a bullion van. That was shared to delegates who elected Ese Gam Owe and his executives as the present UPU leadership.
I challenge Olorogun Moses Taiga, Ese Gam Owe, former Secretary-General (now PG UPU and Abel Opudi former treasurer of UPU (who is now 2nd Deputy PG of UPU) to give details on finances of UPU under the leadership of Olorogun Moses Taiga.
The lamest excuse and coverup of the financial misconducts of the UPU under Taiga and Ese Gam is the claim that after successfully oversubscribing the startup capital required to run Taiga's proposed Okugbe Microfinance Bank, the business got stalemated because they couldn't secure license.
Quoting an opinion expressed by Francis Ewherido in some media, Taiga stated through his proxy that, "all efforts to obtain operating license have so far been fruitless. The project is being hindered by the notorious Nigerian factor.”
Can you imagine? The critical challenge common with such investment is being able to mop up the capital. Where individual are registering Microfinance Banks, even commercial banks with ease, Urhobo nation with the required capital base couldn't secure a license for a microfinance bank.
The impression underscores to what extent Urhobo and the UPU, once a force to reckon with in the federation under Midwest and Bendel days, has become so relegated that among our political officeholders and individuals accomplished in the private sector, none was connected enough to seek license for an Urhobo Microfinance bank after meeting the key statutory requirement.
It was further claimed that, “Those who got tired of waiting have had their subscription money refunded to them. However, the funds belonging to Urhobo patriots, who are committed to ensuring that the project comes to fruition, are safe in the bank."
Olorogun Moses Taiga, Ese Gam Owe and Opudi should account for the funds Urhobo sons and daughters contributed to the Microfinance. Right now, our less populous ethnic neighbors are busy visiting President Tinubu at Aso Rock to seek federal attention. Like Taiga, Ese Gam as local champion is turning around Delta, looking for Governor Oborevwori and others in his government to beg for money.
How much was collected, how much is kept and how much interest has subscribers money generated till date and what happened to the Micro Finance Bank? They must account for it.
Like the bank issue, Taiga started campaign for an Urhobo university. He didn't clear the land sight he was shown for many years before he left office. So what did he achieve really? What tangible good can he point to for the generality of people? Under Ese Gam Owe, nothing has been heard from UPU on the bank and university projects. All they care for is their pockets.
What a contradiction. Ese Gam said there is nothing good about me but he showed a letter indicating he made me UPU Ex-officio. What he didn't say was that he begged profusely, called several prominent persons to get my attention.
More critical than that, Ese Gam cannot point to one meeting, one gathering where I sat with his EXCO or join their money begging visits to Okowa or any other political officeholder.
The reason is simple. I gave Ese Gam Owe one simple condition for accepting a UPU Ex-officio appointment as I have never been part of their kangaroo elections. I told him to avail me the UPU constitution in effect and to keep me abreast with the duties of an ex-offocio.
Ese Gam never fulfilled that simple promise and he never got me to be part of his shenanigans. He can't point to one single occasion. They asked what I have contributed to Urhobo development and I know all they care is how much money I have spent on Urhobo cause.
Such myopia. Where were they when I've been the lone voice daring the military and federal government on the vengeful attempt to wipe out Okuama, when Ewu monarch was being humiliated. My contribution to the progress of Urhobo through my advocacy for social justice cannot be quantified.
It is time the Urhobo get rid of these people who claim to be rich but feed fat on UPU. It is time not to entrust UPU in the hands of charlatans and gluttons who only use the office as a patronage tool to mortgage our collective patrimony to swell their personal pockets.
Not only must Ese Gam and his EXCO go, they and Olorogun Moses Taiga must give account on what they did with UPU money and show their achievements.
Zik Gbemre
November 22, 2024
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