Delta State Committee on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution has resolved the lingering dispute in Okere Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area.
This followed the acceptance of the recommendations of the committee by the parties in the dispute in a well attended meeting convened by the committee at Unity Hall Government House Annex Warri, on Tuesday.
The Chairman of the Committee, Chief Edwin Uzor, who is also a Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution in his remarks before reading the recommendations of his committee, commended the people of Okere Urhobo for maintaining the peace while the dispute lasted
He however, stressed the need for them to sustain the peace advising that they should continue to live in unity
While acknowledging that two meetings were held on ways to resolve the dispute, Chief Uzor disclosed that the committee sought submissions from heads of Okere Urhobo families which include: Idama Sowhoruvwe, Ohwotemu, Tito and Makro as well as consulted leaders in other Urhobo kingdoms
He noted that the Okere Urhobo Chieftaincy declaration was faulty and therefore should be amended
Chief Uzor stated that the committee recommended that Idama, Sowhoruvwe and Owhotemu were the three ruling houses in Okere Urhobo kingdom and that persons from the said ruling houses should be allowed to contest for the Orosuenship (kingship) stool, provided the mother of an aspiring Orosuen must be an Urhobo
He also stated that the committee recommended that the nine kingmakers of Okere Urhobo Kingdom should be shared equally amongst the three ruling houses
Chief Uzor hinted that it was the recommendation of the committee for the people of Okere Urhobo Kingdom to have a written constitution that would govern other organs in the kingdom, such as the position of the president general amongst others.
The committee recommended that the youth body should be under the president general of Okere Urhobo Kingdom and that the president general should work with Okpakorere (most elderly male) in the kingdom.
It was also the recommendation of the committee that the Okpakorere should be assigned some functions such as the crowning of the king amongst others.
Chief Uzor while making it clear that High Chief Dr Wilson Omavowan Eboh (JP) is the Otota (spokesman) of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, he disclosed that the committee recommended that Chief Christopher Okumagba an aspirant to the Orosuen stool should contest again for the Orosuenship.
He then requested that the people of Okere Urhobo Kingdom should collect the details of the documented recommendations of the committee in Asaba on Monday May 18th, 2020.
The Executive Chairman of Warri South Local Government Council, Dr Michael Tidi in his brief speech at the historic event, commended the people of the ancient Urhobo kingdom of Okere for listening to the voice of reasoning.
The Okpakorere of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Pa Isaac Eranvon, Otota of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Chief Wilson Eboh, the President General of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Chief Emmanuel Okumagba, an Executive Assistant (EA) to Governor Okowa on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, Chief Victor Okumagba (an indigene of Okere Urhobo Kingdom) and heads of Okere Urhobo families who spoke at the event commended the committee for its recommendations.