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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The 2021 edition of the Urhobo Language Competition ended recently with a call for unity among the Urhobo people.
The annual event which is organized by the Urhobo Progress Union, America (UPUA) for secondary school students across the entire Urhobo nation took place at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun and was attended by over fifteen secondary schools, including teachers and Urhobo academics from the various higher institutions in Delta State.
Speaking during the event, co-ordinator and representative of the socio-cultural organization, Olorogun (Dr.) Mrs. Onome Dema, thanked the participants, their teachers and Urhobo leaders that took it as challenge to attend this year’s competition, adding that Urhobo people should unite in order to move forward and achieve their common goals as people.
“The success of today’s event is as a result of your maximum co-operation to our efforts. The UPU, America is organizing this yearly event to promote and protect the Urhobo language from sudden extinction. To contribute to this our efforts, as parents and guardians, let’s continue to speak the language to our children/wards every time. We shouldn’t be ashamed of speaking the language or communicating with our children with the language in our homes and also in public places. The language is our identity and ancestry.
“Urhobo is an indivisible ethnic group in Delta State and Nigeria. Therefore, we must be united in order to achieve our common goals politically and otherwise. Let’s be our brother’s keepers and try to do away with divisive tendencies,” she said.
Also, two highly respected Urhobo female academics, Prof. (Mrs.) Rose Aziza and Prof. (Mrs.) Okobia, thanked UPU, America for taking up “this great challenge in organizing this yearly Urhobo language competition for our children here in Urhobo land, and not even for their own children in foreign countries.”
The duo specially thanked the efforts of Olorogun (Dr.) Mrs. Edema and her interest and enthusiasm in promoting the Urhobo language despite that she is based in the Diaspora. They however advised Urhobos in different positions in government and in businesses to help other Urhobo people climb the ladder of success, rather than nursing the spirit of ‘pull him down syndrome’ amongst Urhobos.
The competition which was electronically conducted by the organizers was done in groups. It came to an end with Okene Mixed Secondary School clinching the first position, followed by Otor-Ogor Grammar School, and Oteri Secondary School clinching the third position. Other schools, from the fourth position down, got consolation prizes for their different performances.
Among those that attended the event, apart from the students and teachers of the various schools, were Prof. Mrs. Okobia, former vice chancellor, Western Delta University, Oghara, Prof. Mrs. Rose Aziza, Delta State University, Abraka, Dr. Oyovwi, provost, College of Education, Warri, Mr. Kenneth Young Emretiyoma, personal assistant to the president-general of the Urhobo Progress Union (worldwide), Olorogun Moses Taiga, Dr. Godwin Orhadahwe, former DBS staff and host of others.
The event was anchored by Mr. Ibuje and Mr. Peter Nosiama as quiz master and co-ordinator, while music was supplied by Dr. Flex and Dr. Enakpodia.
