The piece by one Annabel Ogheneganre titled: “Between Ogboru and Omo-Agege: Who is the greater asset to Urhobo” was a sour taste and a toxic narrative of a paid agent.

It is very unfortunate that what I initially thought would be an interesting and insightful piece turned out to be nothing more than a figment of the writer’s imagination. I couldn’t help but wonder what he intended to achieve. Ordinarily, I do not respond to such baseless write-ups, but after reading through, I considered it necessary to address the misrepresentations.

At first, I took interests in his views on hate speech, believing he had a sound perspective. However, as I continued, I realised his write-up was even worse than the hate speech he claimed to criticise. If this was a paid attempt to stir division between Omo-Agege and Ogboru’s supporters, then it is truly disappointing.

Let me be clear: I have taken time to study Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru’s political journey, and it is evident that he is not one to encourage violence. Time and again, he has been seen advising his supporters to avoid the use of foul language or actions that could create tension in the political space. Is this the same person the writer accuses of sponsoring attacks on Ovie Omo-Agege?

If you must make accusations, it only makes sense when you back them up with proof instead of peddling baseless claims simply because you were paid to do so.

The question of who is an asset to the Urhobo people should be examined with facts, not sentiments. If your definition of an asset is based on streetlights, tricycles, a few Corolla vehicles, some projects attracted to Orogun, his home town, or transformers given to all states by Federal Ministry of Power that he distributed in his constituency is what the writer assumes as personal gifts, then his notion of an asset is not only misleading but also a gross misrepresentation of reality.

If the writer wanted to highlight achievements, he should have focused on how many Urhobo sons and daughters Ovie Omo-Agege transformed during his eight years in the Senate. Apart from his younger brother, who was the sole beneficiary of his mandate, what tangible impact did his eight years in the Senate have on the lives of Urhobo youths? I use the term “sole beneficiary” deliberately because of Omo-Agege’s fondness for the phrase “Sole Leader.”

Let us take a moment to appreciate the legacy of Chief James Onanefe Ibori. History will always remember him for his contributions to both human and infrastructural development in Urhobo land. Many Urhobo politicians from 1999 till date owe their political rise to his positive influence and contributions to their lives. Can any of them honestly say they did not benefit from his leadership?

The writer should have asked how many Urhobo sons and daughters Omo-Agege empowered outside his immediate constituency in Orogun. Can anyone name a single person he lifted politically or economically? The only thing I recall vividly is the Corolla vehicles he distributed to a few local government party chairmen, which he later retrieved from some when they opposed his leadership style. There is an old saying: “He who lives in a glass house should not throw stones.”

Take a tour of the eight local government areas of Delta Central and the 24 kingdoms of Urhobo land. Show me any flashy car or edifice built by any of Omo-Agege’s diehard members. Show me a single outstanding initiative he personally funded for the betterment of Urhobo people. Yet, some people prefer to sing his praises while attacking Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, a highly respected leader.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/asset-to-urhobo-between-ogboru-and-omo-agege/