Report
of Tour of Branches of Urhobo Progress Union
by Chief T. E. A. Salubi, President-General, 1964
As an organization, Urhobo
Progress Union subsists on the strength of its branches. At those
points in its illustrious -- but sometimes turbulent -- history when
the Union was buoyant, it also experienced considerable expansion and
vigour of its branches. Managing the relationship between the Home
Union at Warri and the far-flung branches has always been a challenge
facing the Union since its inception in the early 1930s.
It was largely in recognition of the need to maintain a healthy
relationship between the Home Union and the Branches, that it was
mandated in the 1930s that the President-General of Urhobo Progress
Union should undertake a tour of the Branches at least once during his
tenure in office. However, only two Presidential Tours have ever been
undertaken, The first was by Chief Mukoro Mowoe in 1946. The second
Presidential Tour was by Chief T. E. A. Salubi in 1964.
Various accounts have surfaced on Chief Mukoro Mowoe's 1946
Presidential Tour
of the Branches of Urhobo Progress Union. While a few of these are
written (thus see Obaro Ikime at http://waado.org/Biographies/Mowoe/MowoeBiography_Ikime/ChapFour_Leader.html),
most of these accounts are ancedotal and have become part of Urhobo
folklore. However, there is little that has appeared with regard to the
second Presidential Tour. This is ironic because those who planned it
-- principally Chief T. E. A. Salubi and Mr. Gordon Mukoro -- made sure
that their tour would be as fully documented as possible. Indeed, they
wrote up a detailed report that was circulated to the Branches. It is
that report that we now publish here for the first time. Urhobo
Historical Society thanks Dr. Thomas Edogbeji Akpomudiare Salubi, Chief
T. E. A. Salubi's heir, for making this report available for
publication.