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Urhobo Historical Society |
Dynamics of Union Membership
President-General�s Address Delivered to
the 16th
Session of the Annual General Council of Urhobo Progress
Held at Warri from Sunday, the 26th, to
Thursday the
30th, December, 1965
By Chief the Honourable T. E. A. Salubi,
O.B.E.,
M.H.A.,
President-General
of Urhobo Progress
My Dear Fellow Delegates, Veterans & Observers:
On behalf of the
national
officers of Urhobo Progress Union and of myself, I have the greatest
pleasure
to welcome all of you most warmly to this, the 16th session of our
Annual
General Council. Let us in gladness congratulate ourselves for having
been
spared by God, the Almighty, to be living witnesses to our Union�s
attainment,
barely seven weeks ago, of its 34th anniversary.
We must give our
grateful
thanks to God also for His protection and care over our delegates who
come from
far and near to attend this Council.
The last Annual
General
Council saw the end of my first three years� tenure of office. At the
elections
that ensued, several national officers -- including Chief J. E. Odiete,
Deputy
President-General, Mr. A. T. Rerri, Secretary-General and my humble
self --
were reelected unopposed into our respective offices. I feel that on
behalf of
the re-elected officers and of the newly elected ones, I must express
grateful
thanks to all of you for the confidence which you so deeply reposed in
us.
This is my fourth
Presidential Address, but the first in my second tenure of office. I
have no
doubt that many of you will agree with me, that after being in office
for four
years, I should be able to pin-point where the chief weaknesses of our
membership of the Union lie. Because I want to make these chief
weaknesses the
theme of my Address this year, I have accordingly entitled this
Address, �The
Dynamics of Union Membership�.
And what are
�dynamics�?
Based on the Oxford Dictionary, a force or mechanical power is said to
be
dynamical when it is actively operative. It is a branch of mechanics
that
treats of motion of bodies or matter under the influence of certain
forces.
Dynamics in any sphere may be physical or moral. In theology, it is
inspiration, endowment with divine power, not impelling mechanically
but
spiritually from within. This is dynamics in the moral sphere. Having
defined
the premises of the title of my Address, I will for the time being
proceed to
other matters but will revert later to the subject which called for the
title.
Remembering the
Dead
During this last
year
(1964-65), we lost by death some four important persons who were, at
one time
or the other of their lives, officers of the
Mr. Famous A.
Okpa Susu
Mr. Famous A. Okpa
Susu who
died on New Year�s Day � Friday, the first of January, 1965 -- at his
hometown,
Oviri, Ogor, was the first President,
Mr. Susu served the
Elder
Dempster Lines, Ltd., for some forty years, and, becoming blind towards
the end
of that career, retired quietly to his hometown where he died.
Madam Emoghene Nakpodia
Madam Emoghene
Nakpodia was
the Lady President and leader of the members of the Women Wing, Okpara
Waterside, for many years. She died at a fairly old age. Madam Nakpodia
was a
kind hearted woman.
Madam Emoghene
Nakpodia hailed
from the respectable Nakpodia family of Okpara Waterside. Born a
leader, she
was a well-known member of Okpara Improvement Union before joining the
local
branch of the Urhobo Progress Union, Women Wing, in 1938. She at
once became
the Lady President of the Wing and held the office consistently well
for about
27 years. After a few days illness, she died quietly on Tuesday, the
30th
March, 1965. She was a kind hearted woman deeply loved by all.
Chief J.
Akpoteheri
Edewor
The late Chief
Edewor, who
was one of the premier successful Urhobo traders in Warri, was a
foundation
member of the
In the nineteen
forties, when
Government disapproved the Union�s overseas scholarship awards on the
ground
that the Union�s fund for the purpose was inadequate, the late Chief
Edewor was
one of the five prominent Union member�s who loaned �100 each to the
Union to
augment the fund, thus making it possible for Government�s approval to
be
obtained.1 What
was perhaps the late Chief�s greatest contribution to Urhobo progress
was the
education he gave to his relatives. He was uncle of Chief James O.
Edewor and
Mr. M. J. Edewor, the Chief Magistrate, both of whose professional
training he
sponsored.
Chief Edewor was
struck by an
illness which confined him indoors for many years before the end came
at 3 a.m.
on Monday, the 16th August, 1965.
Chief J. B.
Agbamu
Chief Agbamu was
president of
the Union at
On his retirement,
he settled
in his hometown, Effurun. As a Commissioner in the Local Government
Service
Commission,
Chief Agbamu died
in the
early hours of Thursday the 21st October, 1965.
Chief Emujane
Asagba
By Chief Emujane
Asagba�s
death on Friday, the 15th January, 1965, one of the last links in the
chain of
Chiefs who established Western Urhobo Native. Authority (now Western
Urhobo
District Council) has been missed.
The question may
well be
asked, �Why should one give a place of honour here to the name of a
Chief who
was not at any time a member of the
May the Souls of
the Dead
Rest in Peace!
Acknowledgements
Before I proceed
further with
my Address, I should like, on behalf of the entire Union, express
grateful thanks
to the Right Reverend Agori Iwe, J. P., M.B.E., C.O.F. Lord Bishop of
Benin
Diocese for Anglican Mission, and the Right Reverend Dr. Lucas
Nwaezeapu,
C.O.N., Lord Bishop of Warri Diocese for the Roman Catholic Mission,
and the
generality of their respective clergies for their good disposition
towards our
Union. They have always been willing to help us in various ways.
Some of you will
remember
that, in spite of a very short notice last year, Bishop Nwaezeapu, as a
true father
of his children, kindly opened our Annual General Council with a solemn
pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving and later blessed the ten classroom
block of
our College.
Not only that.
The Roman Catholic
Mission
gave publicity to the ceremonies in their Newsletter, no. Warri 65/1 of
21st
February, 1965. I have the honour to reproduce the publication
hereunder:
Another Urhobo Milestone
Thanksgiving
Day, 1965. February 3rd 1965 will be remembered as an historic day in
the
annals of Urhobo College, as the day when the newly completed ten
classroom
block the final state of the five years� building programme-was blessed
and
officially opened by His Lordship, Dr. Lucas Nwaezeapu. The ceremony
began with
Solemn Pontifical Mass of Thanksgiving in the Warri Cathedral, and was
attended
by the Proprietors -- Urhobo Progress Union � members of the Board and
Management Committee, as well as delegates.
In
a short address, the Bishop appealed for brotherhood and that essential
sense
of oneness, not only among the Urhobo peoples, but also among the
peoples of
Having
introduced the delegates � from as far away as
As Bishop Agori Iwe
was
unable, owning to heavy pressure of work, to open with prayers this
year, our
National Day festivities at Sapele, he, as another true father of his
children,
sent one of his senior clergymen, Reverend Enajero Arhavwore of St.
Matthew�s
Vicarage, Okpara Waterside, to officiate for him.
I am sure you will
associate
yourselves fully with me in expressing our deep appreciation and
gratitude to
our two beloved spiritual Lords and their clergy for their help. We are
happy
to note that the Government of the Region had recognised their useful
services
to the people by the recent awards of honour to each of them.
I have already in
your name
congratulated them publicly, during my National Day message. I would
however
suggest that on this platform you will confirm my action by passing an
appropriate resolution the terms of which will be conveyed to them.
Activities in
the Last
Twelve Months
The aftermath of
the last
Federal elections and the delayed holding of the Annual General Council
which
came off in early February this year, did not permit us to have the
usual start
for the year.
During the year, a
number of
National Officer�s meetings which was in no case less than six, and
three
meetings of the Central Executive Committee were held. My removal to
An Urhobo
Literature
Committee to organize to produce the much needed Urhobo Literature for
general
reading and examination purposes has been set up. Mr. D. O. Akpore, M.
A.
(Classics), the well-known educationalist is the Chairman of the
Committee. It
is anxiously hoped that the committee will be prolific and yield good
results.
Steps were taken
during the
year to ensure that all the Union branches in Okurekpo were fully
integrated
into one branch.
Reconciliation of a
major
disagreement between
At this stage, I
think it
must be reported that the
Revision and
Adoption
of the Union�s Constitution
I am glad to be
able to
report to Council that, after a long delay, the revision of the
Constitution of
the
Already,
the National Secretariat has been directed to arrange as quickly as
possible
for the printing of the Constitution. This matter should be regarded as
one of
urgency to enable the consistent demands of the branches to be met.
Population
Census
(1963)
Since I am not as
yet in a
position to publish authoritative official figures, I can not do better
than to
refer to this matter casually as I did last year. Be that as it may, I
am sure
you will be glad to know that it has been officially accepted that our
Division
(Urhobo Division) has the largest population in the whole of the
Pipe-Lining
Our Oil to
the East
As I told you last
year, this
matter was pursued with vigour. In pursuance of the strong feelings
which you
demonstrated in debating the matter at the last Council, your Executive
Council
did no leave the matter to rest.
As some of you may
have seen,
I made a prominent reference to this vexed matter in my National Day
message.
Repetition therefore seems unnecessary here. While re-iterating the
appeal for
calm contained in the message, I am glad to be able to report that
already,
the work of the high-powered delegation, so ably led by my Deputy,
Chief
Odiete, has begun to yield some results.
The recent official
announcement introducing new and improved rates of compensation payable
on
economic crops by oil-prospecting companies in the Region is not
without
bearing on the activities of the delegation. The increases in the new
rates
have been very substantial.
Here, of course, we
must
acknowledge the role played by the press, members of the general
public, the
politicians and the legislators on the floor of the House of Assembly.
The
recent official announcement did not of course cover all aspects of
compensable
cases. Let us therefore hope that reasonable diligence and an
accommodating
spirit of compromise will be brought into play in negotiating the
compensation
rates for the other cases.
With your approval,
I should
like to place on record our appreciation of the good work done by the
members
of the delegation. It is not true as one Mr. Iffie, the notorious
newspaper
columnist, would want the public to believe that Chief Oweh and I
backed out of
the delegation at the last moment for political considerations.
Chief
Odiete, the leader of the delegation, had since written to correct Mr.
Iffie�s
wanton attack in these words: �The offending portion is that Chief
Honorable T.
E. A. Salubi backed out of the Delegation. This is not true and it is
highly
misleading. The fact is that Chief Salubi is the President-General of
the
Urhobo Progress Union, a body which represented the Urhobos on the said
Delegation and it was because he was engaged on certain ministerial
duties that
I, as the Deputy President-General of Urhobo Progress Union, deputized
for him
with his authority and consent. He did not back out. In fact, the case
of the
Urhobo Progress Union is his own case and there can not therefore, be a
case of
his backing out.2
Split
In May this year, a
serious
split occurred among members of the Union, most of whom are students,
in
Following written
representations made by each side, and as a result of Independent
enquiries
made by the Central Executive Committee, the Committee found in favour
of the
Emakpor faction of the dispute and at the same declared this faction to
be the
recognized official, and the only branch of the Union in
Mr. Agoreyo�s
faction, which
was found guilty, had not accepted the Central Executive Committee�s
decision
and recommendations. Rather, Mr. Agoreyo and his group are still
claiming and
posing to be the branch of the Union in
We at home here can
not but
regard this incident as sad and unfortunate. And here I repeat what I
have
already said in my National Day message. �It is foolish for students
like ours,
most of whom are struggling financially to be able to study, to create
other
worries and difficulties for themselves. The recent unfortunate rift
among our
students in
Urhobo
National Day
Celebration
As usual, many
branches
observed the National Day.3
The people of Urhobo Division held their ceremonies at the Stadium,
Sapele, on
Wednesday, the 3rd November, 1965. It was a huge success in every
sense, and
Sapele branch, the organizer and host, must be congratulated. Chief
Rabor
Abeke, the President, deserves all praise.
The attendance was
the
largest ever seen and the donations of well over �500 were believed to
be the
highest ever collected in any Urhobo gathering. I can find no words to
describe
the grandeur of the occasion.
One is always
careful to
avoid talking politics in the Union forum; but I feel I must observe
here that
the movement in the second half of the year of most of the leaders and
top
officials of the Union from one political party to another, which is
the ruling
political party in the Region, was, I believe, largely responsible for
the
wonderful attendance and exhibition of unity at this year�s
celebration.
I would love to
hope, indeed
expect, that the degree of oneness and unity so transparently exhibited
at
Sapele on the occasion will diffuse down to our different clan areas
and be
reflected in our ordinary life and day-to-day dealings with one another
in our
towns and villages.
Let no one hear any
more of
arbitrary taxation, trumped up summonses by sanitary inspectors, forest
guards
and other forms of political victimization among our people. The new
spirit,
which I have termed the Sapele Spirit, should stop all this, and
provide in its
place, again and for evermore, peace, tranquility and contentment of
mind to
reign in Urhobo.
Before I leave this
subject,
I should report that I have already on your behalf expressed grateful
thanks to
the Premier, Chief the Hon. D.C. Osadebay, G.C.O.N., LL.D., for his
message to
us on the occasion. The message was short and nice, sweet and effective.
In accordance with
my
promise, I donated a trophy for which there was competition by the
various
dance-groups. The Ema dance,
staged by Agbarho people, was adjudged to
be the
winner of the trophy. We congratulate Agbarho for their singular
success.
An Urhobo
Orphan in
During a visit
early this year
of Chief S. J. Mariere, G.C.O.N., LL.D, as Governor, Midwestern Nigeria
to the
Zuma Memorial Hospital, Irrua, Ishan Division, His Excellency�s
attention was
invited to the case of an Urhobo orphan who had been under the sole
care of the
Honorable Dr. Christopher G. Okojie, Minister of Works and Proprietor
of the
Hospital.
The orphan named
Stephen
Ishani was said to have been born by Caesarean operation on the 22nd
April,
1953. The mother, Eyafodemi, was on a visit to her husband, who was a
fisherman
at Iruekpen, when she went into labour which was obstructed for 3 days
before
admission into the Hospital. She succumbed to the operation. Ishani,
the
father, visited the Hospital once before he himself died. Some one, a
teacher,
who claimed to be an uncle to the boy had since disappeared.
Dr. Okojie and his
wife had
to look after the child as an orphan since no one came forward to claim
him.
Dr. Okojie stated that Stephen who is now 12 years old was the first
orphan of
his Hospital. Like other grown up orphans who had been unclaimed,
Stephen is
now attending school. It is Dr. Okojie�s opinion that Stephen needs the
care of
close relatives. In his letter to our Union about this matter, His
Excellency,
the Governor, quite rightly suggested that the
In order to
ascertain the
parental connections of the unfortunate boy, I conducted investigation
personally at Agbanikaka. From the information received, the
My object of
bringing this
matter to Council�s notice is to direct Council to:
(a) place on record
its
appreciation and thankfulness to Dr. Okojie and his wife for their
invaluable
humanitarian work.
(b) Accept the
circumstances
of this boy�s coming into life as a challenge.
(c) To continue in
our
endeavour to get the young boy rehabilitated and resettled with his
people at
Uwherun.
Dr. Okojie, who is
at present
ascertaining the boy�s wish, informed me that he would claim nothing
for the
boy�s upkeep and care, if and when his people come to take him. Here
again is
another challenge. We must act swiftly as our prestige as a people is
at stake.
Educational
Progress
Our students at
home and
abroad continue to do their best to advance our progress in education.
We
admire their indomitable spirit of sacrifice and endurance because many
of them
work under great handicaps, especially financial handicaps.
Today, competition in any field of learning is very keen and only those who attain the best from institutions of learning secure the best places in the civil service, in industry, in business and in the commercial world generally. There is room on top always; it is better and cosy up there. I am convinced it is so. And that is why I am admonishing those of our students who can to endeavour in their struggles to aim at the best. General degrees are good but they certainly do not rank high enough today. Wherefore Urhobo youths must go for �the big fish�- honours degrees and doctorate degrees. Some of our youths have already achieved this end and there is no reason whatsoever why others should not. Press on, even though it is difficult, press on, Urhobo youths. Afore ye go.4
At least two more secondary grammar schools have been approved to open
in our
Division next year. One of the schools was referred to in my National
Day
Message. It is at Ovwodo-Ughelli. The second, to be at Orogun, was
approved for
our energetic Akpore. We must bespeak success for the two new schools.
National
The Urhobo National
Union of
Students is holding its Annual Convention at Ughelli as from yesterday,
the 26th
December. The co-incidence of date and time with our Council
arrangement is
unfortunate, as it may probably deprives the National Union sending
representatives, as before, to our Council. We hope there will be prior
consultation between the two bodies in the future.
Development
of
The most important
work done
here during the year is the acquisition of more land for future
expansion of
the College. After a number of joint meetings with the owners of the
adjoining
land, a delegation of the
The difficulties
which I
anticipated in my last Address did not seem to have arisen, and on this
score,
I would suggest to Council to place on record a resolution of thanks
and
appreciation in recognition of the land owner�s continued
kindness.
From what is
happening, it
seems that we may be able to supply running water to the College in the
next
few months. The local water authorities had laid mains right up to the
front of
the College. This is what we have been wishing to happen. I am sure
that the
Board of Governors will waste no time to take advantage of this new
development.
Speech Day
I was sadly
disappointed, and
I believed many others were, that the Speech Day, which was started
only two
years ago, did not come off this year! There may be some good reasons
for that.
I hope the Principal will explain this in his report to
Council.
Old Boys Association
The old boys of the
College
have not, so far, accepted the challenge I threw to them in my last
message.
There are many prominent alumni of
Board of Governors
The old Board of
Governors of
the College, is in the process of re-constitution. It is hoped that
finality
will be reached soon. May I seize this opportunity to thank those
members of
the old Board who may not be included in the new one; we are grateful
to them
for their past services which have no doubt contributed to the progress
of the
College.
Examination Results
The examination
results of
our College have been consistently unsatisfactory for the past few
years.
Standards have fallen off considerably and this has been a cause of
anxiety.
The reasons for the set-back are not unknown. They have been
pin-pointed
elsewhere before. In order however to get to the root of the causes,
the
In a recent
informal
discussion, the Minister of Education, Midwestern Nigeria, hinted that
if no
satisfactory results were obtained this year, he might have to consider
closing
the Higher School Certificate classes. It is understood that a warning
to this
effect had been given!
If the report of
inquiry warrants
it, the proprietors may be compelled to apply what they consider to be
effective remedial action to save the College from further
retrogression. We
can not, for any reason whatsoever, afford to see, with our eyes open,
the
College continuing to degenerate.
Award of National Honours
I am sure that you
will in
your name want me to salute and congratulate the three illustrious
Urhobo sons
who, among many other distinguished Nigerians, were honoured recently
on the
occasion of Nigeria National Day by His Excellency, the President of
the
National Secretariat: Fence
As delegates would
have
noticed, the land comprising our secretariats has been fenced on all
sides
excepting the frontage. The rear fence has once and for all solved the
problem
of tresspassers who were in the habit of disturbing at all times,
especially
during meetings. Since the fence was put up, the rate of commission of
nuisance
on the premises has also fallen almost to a negligible degree.
I am sure Council
would like
to thank Chief S. D. Obar, the Contractor, Hotelier and our
Treasurer-General.
Even when the
Conclusion: The Dynamics of Union Membership
Now, I wish to
revert to the
subject which impelled me to adopt the above title as a theme for my
Address
this year. Nothing is worth doing unless it is done well. If you are a
member
of a
For some time now,
the
national officers and I have been feeling greatly concerned about the
indifference of the generality of our members in practically every
branch of
the Union in regard to payment of Union monthly dues.
The amount of
monthly
subscription payable by each member in practically all the branches is
very
small, in fact negligible. Generally, it is six pence per month or six
shillings per annum. We have no statistics to show the exact numerical
strength
of the total members of the Union in the nearly 100 branches of the
We have not, as
yet, in our
society and among ourselves, a range of affluent and well-to-do people
imbued
with humanitarian spirit, who, would, as a matter of conviction, donate
a
substantial amount of money to the
Consequently, due
to failure
of members to pay dues and lack of donations and endowments, the
The practical
dynamics of
Union membership presupposes the full discharge of all membership
obligations
of which unfailing payment of all membership obligations, Union dues,
subscriptions, contributions and levies form a part. I drew attention
to this
all-important matter last year in my Address and wish to repeat myself
here
this year, as follows:
How
do theses branches expect the Headquarters to be run and to be run
efficiently?
And yet members make expensive suggestions and talk glibly about
publishing
news-letters and a periodical magazine! How can the Headquarters do
these
things when it is not even enabled to keep itself going on normal
care-and-maintenance basis? I have deliberately published in the report
of the
tour a list showing outstanding arrears so that each branch may see
itself
clearly with a firm pupose to pay up its dues at once. I will be
greatly
disturbed if such immediate reaction is not forthcoming. I therefore
hereby
appeal to all the defaulting branches to make good their debts to the
Headquarters.
The
prevailing poverty is no excuse. It is the will to do that matters. I
am in
duty bound to emphasise, in this Address as I have indeed done in the
report of
the tour, this-all important question of branch�s financial
responsibility to
the Headquarters. The matter can not be over-stressed. In spite of
their avowed
love and regard for the part of branches to discharge their financial
obligations towards the Headquarters.
Maintenance
Funds are not paid and Membership cards, Almanacs and books sold, or
given out
on credit to branches are not paid for. The fact does not seem to be
realised
that, so far, these are the only revenue-earning sources of the
The problem is in
two parts.
Payment of dues at membership level to the branch and the
branch�s
contribution of its quota to the National Headquarters. All this we can
meet if
we are determinate, solemn, serious and religious about it.
On the moral or
spiritual
dynamism, I am satisfied beyond all reasonable doubts that the Urhobo
man has
nothing else to choose between the Urhobo Progress Union and himself.
He
believes in the
How to overcome this � this terrible weakness?
We know that
circumstances
and conditions are not the same, yet let me admonish our members to
endeavour
to emulate good trade unionists all over the world. In many countries,
particularly in the
Your National
Officers feel
very strong on this matter. In fact so strong that it had to appoint
last month
a small committee to advise on the ways and means of collecting monthly
dues
and other contributions at the branch level. The iniquities of this
undischarged obligation are upon us. Let me hope that all of you �
delegates to
this Council and all members at home � will seriously undertake to
ensure that
this weakening undischarged obligation in the dynamics of Union
membership is
wholly discharged as from now onwards.
It is the principle
of
self-help that animated our
In this connection,
I should
like to conclude by inviting you attention to what Samuel Smiles said
on
Self-Help, National and Individual. And here I quote:
�Heaven
helps those who help themselves� is a well-tried maxim, embodying in a
small
compass the results of vast human experience. The spirit of self-help
is the
root of all genuine growth in the individual; and, exhibited in the
lives of
many, it constitutes the true source of national vigour and strength.
Help from
without is often enfeebling in its effects, but help from within
invariably
invigorates. What ever is done for men or classes, to a certain extent
takes
away the stimulus and necessity of doing for themselves; and where men
are
subjected to over-guidance and over-government, the inevitable tendency
is to
render them comparatively helpless."5
Make it a motto to discharge always the practical dynamics of your
union
membership and thus help yourself. I pass on this maxim to you.
Hold and keep it.
THANK YOU.
NOTES
______________________
1 The four
others who loaned �100 each to the
2 This is culled from Chief Odiete�s rejoinder
correcting Mr. Iffie�s attack. It is not certain whether the Morning
Post
published it.
3 In
4 Afore ye go [roughly, "Forward you go"] is an ancient expression of exhortation derived from the Scotts' tribal language. -- Peter Ekeh, UHS Editor.
5 Chief Salubi�s citation is from Samuel
Smiles, Self-Help
(1859),
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