A version of this editorial was published in the January 2nd edition of “Urhobo voice”
By Pastor Maris Ikperikpe
On the 27th of October, in what can only be described as a homecoming, Peters Omaruaye, a candidate for the seat being vacated by Senator Omo-Agege, visited the Agbon King, HRH Ogurime-Rime Ukori 1, Amidst pomp and cheers at the palace due to the warm welcome accorded him by the Agbon king.
In his brief recount of their extensive relationship, Ogurime-Rime Ukori 1 of Agbon spoke wistfully of the long connection he has with the Omaruaye family, especially with the father of the senatorial hopeful, the Late Hon. Sylvanus Omaruaye, who was a major proponent of the Urhobo Development Vision.
In light hearted banter throughout the visit, and during his welcoming remarks, the Agbon monarch joked that “Wodete asa’re.Peters, ukoni ve.parlor ro.ye, o.vio.vo!”, which naturally resulted in hollering laughter throughout the vast reception hall of the Agbon palace.
He thereafter, focused on Peters Omaruaye and the two (2) outstanding quality traits he appreciated about him viz: Stickler for “proper order”, and the ability to “do things the way they ought to be done”. He also underscored the fact that Omaruaye was a strict disciplinarian who has a huge capacity to bring to bear, prudence in the office of the Senator in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He noted that as a Monarch, he believes he not only has a friend in Omaruaye but he was convinced that he could deliver on his political commitments and manage the affairs of the Urhobo nation.
One might be forgiven if one saw this as just another of many political visits in a season where multiples of these take place daily, but something was definitely distinct about this one, as it appears, a consensus was “reached” with regards to Omaruaye’s candidacy and its acceptance to the Urhobo nation and its varied leadership.
“ACCEPTABLE AND COMFORTABLE TO ALL URHOBO KINGS!”… A CASE FOR A CONSENSUS ON PETERS OMARUAYE.
The tradition of achieving “consensus” on a candidate in the political life of the nation has evolved from the inception of the 4th Republic. In this case, “consensus” isn’t a case of some leaders or vested interests getting together to “decide” on a candidate, ala godfatherism, rather, it’s more of an organic metamorphosis of the idea that, a particular candidate fits the requirements in applicable circumstances.
This idea was evident at the inception of the 4th republic, as the nation almost instinctively gravitated towards General Obasanjo as the de-facto leader. It would be recalled that at that time, the nation had just gone through a traumatic decade of misrule by the army, and Obasanjo, who had been jailed and released after the death of both Abacha and Abiola seemed like a “reasonable” choice against the backdrop of the nation that was in dire need of stability. Obasanjo fitted the bill and by “National consensus” was elected President.
In 2015, we witnessed another play of “democracy by consensus” when it was apparent that Nigeria was adrift following years of institutional misrule by a dominant party that had morphed into an organization more interested in “State capture”, than in actual rulership. General Buhari was by all reasonable assessments, a “consensus candidate” in which the entire nation had vested its hopes of moving beyond the misrule of the previous 15 years.
This tradition of settling on a consensus candidate also took hold in local jurisdictions across the country. For instance, the people of Delta State certainly had reached “consensus” in multiple elections in which “progressives”, led by Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, repeatedly won mandates which were later thwarted by misnomers such as “incident forms!”; (if you know, you know).
Now, in this election, it also appears that the leadership of the 24 kingdoms that make up the Urhobo nation seem to have, or are indeed in the process of gravitating towards our own version of a “consensus candidate” in the person of Mr. Peters Omaruaye for the Central Senatorial District of Delta State. Just as with the nation in 1999, Delta State, and indeed, the Central Senatorial District is in critical need of “steady hands” after two decades of traumatic misrule.
This tradition of a consensus choice also dates back into Urhobo history and the trajectory of Chief Mukoro Mowoe is instructive in this regard.
It is fitting that this election would be holding in the 75th year of the passing of the Urhobo giant, Chief Mukoro Mowoe, who died in August of 1948. Chief Mowoe is credited with the establishment of the Urhobo nation as a force to be reckoned with in colonial Niger Delta. He was seminal in so much of the Urhobo nation’s life. Sunny Awhefeada, in the guardian article of August 17th 2018, “Mukoro Mowoe: Seventy years after”, (on the 70th anniversary of the passing of Chief Mowoe) wrotes: “Mowoe’s place in the reckoning of Urhobo people approximates apotheosis. He is as an avatar and a model of Urhoboism.” In this tradition, he was by all account a consensus choice on leadership.
Mr. Peters Omokuayigbe Omaruaye certainly has strived for the apotheosis that Chief Mowoe represents to the Urhobo nation. Indeed, it is not a stretch to suggest some similarities in trajectories. Johnson D. Ukueni, in his July 28th 2017 article in the guardian, (Mukoro Mowoe deserves honour) notes, inter alia, that “…Chief Mukoro Mowoe had outstanding success in business which spanned through importation of building materials, building and road construction”. In the same vein, the Senatorial hopeful, Omaruaye, has distinguished himself in Business, taking a mundane family business to great heights after the death of his Father, (Hon Sylvanus Omaruaye).
As Chief Mowoe had represented the Urhobo nation at the Western Regional Assembly, (as a Representative of the Warri Division), so also Sylvanus Omaruaye, the father of Peters Omaruaye, who also stood out as not only a great business man but also an astute Politician who represented the Urhobos at the then Bendel house of assembly.
His Royal Highness, Ogurime-Rime Ukori 1 of Agbon spoke wistfully of his relationship with Sylvanus Omaruaye, and indeed paid homage to another of Chief Mowoe’s “traits” in Peters Omaruaye when he described him as being a stickler for “proper order”, and being fixated on ‘doing things the way they ought to be done”. On this, Ukueni writes about Chief Mukoro Mowoe thus: “…In all these, he displayed selflessness. None of the projects were preferred for establishment in his native home, Evwreni, as our present-day politicians would have done…”. It is, it appears, down to a question of values and in this we find that there is no such thing as old or new values, just values. There is no doubt that in Peters Omaruaye, we can completely be assured of similitude in the projection of untainted Urhobo values as it was in the time of Chief Mukoro Mowoe.
Prof. Obaro Ikime, in his biography of Chief Mukoro Mowoe, (Ikime 1977) described him thus: “…Chief Mukoro Mowoe lived between 1890 and 1948 (58 years) and left behind a fulfilled life and a legacy that would likely be unsurpassed by the generations of our leaders in Urhoboland”. Perhaps so. But in this election, we now have an opportunity to repeat this feat through Omaruaye.
The burning question is…’Can the Urhobo nation return to its core sense of purpose as it was when we had Chief Mukoro Mowoe, Dr. Chief Jereton Mariere, Chief T.E.A. Salubi?’’ HRH Ogurime-Rime Ukori 1 of Agbon and the other 23 monarchs that make up the Urhobo Nation seem to think that we can and are ready to cast lots on Mr. Peters Omokuayigbe Omaruaye to lead this huge resurgence through their support of his candidacy.