OKPE UNION REJECTS CLAIMS OF OKPE BEING URHOBO, DEFENDS DISTINCT ETHNIC IDENTITY

The Okpe Union has strongly rejected claims that the Okpe people are part of the Urhobo ethnic nationality, describing such assertions as a treasonable act against the Okpe Nation. In a statement signed by several top officials of the union, including 1st Deputy President General, Engr. Francis O. Redemi, and General Secretary, Barr. Kingsley E. Akpederin, the union affirmed the distinct ethnic identity of the Okpe people.

The statement was issued in response to a press conference held on July 30, 2025, by some individuals, including 1st Deputy President General of the Urhobo Progress Union, Chief Isaac Itebu, and former President General of the Okpe Union, Chief Robert Onome, who claimed that Okpe is part of the Urhobo nation. The Okpe Union described the claims as “treasonable” and “fraudulent,” and accused the individuals of having no locus standi or qualification to speak on behalf of the Okpe people.

Engr. Redemi and Barr. Akpederin emphasized that the Okpe Nation has a distinct history, culture, and language that is separate from the Urhobo people. They pointed out that the Okpe people have their own unique ancestry and migration history, which is different from that of the Urhobos. “The Okpe people starting from the father of Okpe, Prince Igboze, moved with his ‘household’ to a place now called Olomu, around early 16th Century,” they said.

The Okpe Union officials also rejected the claim that the Okpe language is a dialect of the Urhobo language, citing research by the Linguistics Departments of the University of Ibadan and the Delta State University, Abraka, which concluded that the Okpe language is a distinct language of the Edoid Group of Languages. “Both researches concluded that the Okpe Language is NOT a dialect of any language in the world,” they said.

The union called on all Okpe nationals to remain united and support the current National Executive Council of the Okpe Union led by Prof. Igho Natufe as President General. They also commended Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State on the imminent takeoff of the Southern Delta University Campus at Orerokpe and called on the state government to consider completing the proposed Sapele Polytechnic, Deghele, Elume.

The Okpe Union officials reiterated their commitment to defending the distinct ethnic identity of the Okpe Nation and correcting the errors of the recent past about the classification of Okpe as part of the Urhobo nation. “We call on all well-meaning Okpe Nationals, including the Governor of our dear Delta State, H.E. Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, to move to correct the error of the recent political past in Delta State, of grouping the Okpe Nation as under another Ethnic Nationality,” they said.