When Omo-Agege returned home

JUBILATION and high sense of fulfilment rented the atmosphere when the people of Orogun in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State converged at Orogun Primary school last weekend to honour one of their own, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege on his inauguration as senator representing the Delta Central Senatorial District.

The civil reception which attracted both indigenes and friends of the kingdom from across the country, was held amidst pump and pageantry as the venue of reception was filled to capacity with politicians and non politicians alike across political divide.

Children were not left out as they trooped into the venue to catch a glimpse of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and other prominent Deltans including Chief Great Ogboru, Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor, Chief Adolo Okotie-Eboh, Prophet Jones Erhue, Chief Austin Uloho, Elder Peter Erebi and a host of others.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who showed up actively in the political firmament in 2002, has brought fame and attracted government presence to the Orogun Kingdom, the Urhobo nation and Delta State. His passion to render quality service and political representation to the people came to fore in 2007 when he ran for the state governorship. 

Even though he lost the election, the 2010 re-run and the 2011 governorship to former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, his desire to serve was not dampened. He also ran for the state governorship in 2015 without success. In 2015, he took a detour when he decided to seek the Senate seat and joined forces with Chief Great Ogboru under the platform of the Labour Party, a development that gave him his first electoral quest. 

The road to the Senate was very rough as his main opponent in the election, Chief Ighoyota Amori of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who was declared winner of the election by INEC. Not satisfied by INEC declaration, he went to Tribunal, again the Tribunal upheld the election of Chief Ighoyota Amori. As a dogged fighter, he went to the Court of Appeal to appeal against the judgment of the lower tribunal where his mandate was restored.

Appeal Court victory 

His victory at the Appeal Court on the 19th of December, 2015 led to jubilation across many towns and villages in Urhobo land. Senator Omo-Agege in his speech on that day said: “with profound gratitude in my heart and on behalf of my dear wife, Barrister (Mrs) Rosemary Omo-Agege, our dear children and our entire family, let me specially thank the entire Orogun Clan for this reception. It is a special honour to me and my blessed family. 

“During the campaigns, we made an irrevocable commitment to help our people in measurable ways. We declared our readiness to rescue and reposition the Urhobo Nation on a sustainable path of excellence using every tool of legislative power. We are already on that path. “The path we have chosen for ourselves as Urhobo in the Senate is one of robust representation. 

Our ultimate agenda is to promote our people’s interest and that which increases our respect as a People who cannot be ignored. Today, with three Bills on Electoral Reforms, the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun and Sexual Harassment in Tertiary institution in my first three months in the Senate and more to come, we are making significant impacts in the National Assembly. 

Now, the Urhobo Nation is respected once again. Our voice is now heard loudly, clearly and intelligently. “I have said it before and I will say it again. We have a duty to restore the legacies of our founding fathers. We must bring back the Mukoro Mowoe and Adogbeji Salubi’s type of leadership in Urhoboland. 

This is a task that calls for patriotic leadership. We must reject and overcome every force of darkness in Urhoboland. ‘Eje arioma so, Urhobo’. 

“Let me specially thank my big brothers, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru and Olorogun Otega Emerhor for demonstrating openly to the Urhobo Nation and the entire world that truly Urhobo Ovuovo. Because you have thoughtfully and responsibly put Urhobo’s collective interest above small politics, you can see for yourselves how joyful our people are. That is the stuff great leaders are made of.

Selfless contributions 

“I am very grateful for your selfless contributions over the years and even now for our people. For replacing unnecessary mutual suspicion and acrimony with unity and hope for a better future for all, thank you so much. May God bless you indeed. 

Allow me to seize this opportunity to publicly thank my brother, Chief Great Ogboru for his genuine love, openness, trust and support. He gave me so much financial support during the election for which I am eternally grateful.” 

Chairman of the reception ceremony, Mr Marvel Akpoyibo, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, in his speech said; “even at the risk of sounding political that our son whom the entire Orogun Kingdom is honouring today was and will ever remain the best candidate to represent our interest at the Senate. His doggedness, his profound and fearless contributions in the Senate are eloquent testimonies to this unassailable fact”. 

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege is one urhobo son who has genuine desire to serve the people and bring them at of the present seeming political wilderness they are in resent time.