The Okpe Union has convened a General Assembly at its registered office in Obalende, Lagos, with delegates from various branches in attendance. In a statement signed by General Secretary, Barr. Kingsley Ehensiri Akpederin, the union welcomed delegates and expressed appreciation for their sacrifices.

Barr. Kingsley Ehensiri Akpederin said the assembly would focus on key tasks, including the appointment of trustees to replace former trustees who have passed on, constitutional amendments, and national elections. “We believe they, together with other of our ancestors, especially those who led good lives, are in communion with us and that they shall never abandon us,” Akpederin said. Kingsley Ehensiri Akpederin noted that the outgoing National Executive Council, led by Prof. Igho Natufe, had a challenging tenure due to the Okpe monarch’s attempted dissolution of the union’s leadership.

The General Secretary highlighted the achievements of the outgoing leadership, including securing landmark judgments in favor of the union’s autonomy and sponsoring jobs for deserving Okpe youths. Kingsley Ehensiri Akpederin also commended the leadership for ensuring the Okpe Union’s visibility in national and local discourse.

The assembly will also feature an election session, which will be coordinated by a five-man Electoral Committee headed by the Chairman of the Okpe Union, Abuja Branch. Akpederin expressed confidence that the committee would deliver successfully on its mandate. The Okpe Union was founded 95 years ago under a legendary mango tree, and the assembly will also mark the union’s Founders Day Anniversary on May 16, 2025.