The apex socio-cultural umbrella of Urhobo people, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide, has charged lawyers of Urhobo extraction, especially young ones to unite and forge a strong bond in the interest of the development of Urhoboland.
This the charge came as Urhobo Young Lawyers Forum (UYLF) was unveiled by the Legal Adviser of the UPU Youthwing, Princess Omeyoma Eshemitan, to promote Urhobo interest.
The President-General of UPU, Chief Ese Gam, who gave the charge, implored young lawyers across the 24 kingdoms to unite to promote the cause of Urhobo.
Chief Gam spoke at the launch of the Urhobo Young Lawyers Forum (UYLF), in Oghara, Delta State.
The UPU PG, who pledged his support for the body, called on Urhobo professionals in any field including the legal profession to bear in mind the Urhobo interest and agenda.
Chief Gam, represented by Andrew Obido, charged the lawyers to be committed to the body, adding that there will be more benefits when young lawyers of all 24 Urhobo kingdoms unite.
“We are going to benefit more when the young lawyers of the 24 kingdoms come together. Then the common front of Urhobo would be fought by them. There are a lot of things going on, but with the cooperation of these young lawyers, I think they will work out fine,” Gam told reporters.
In his keynote address, Dr. Jonathan Ekperusi, who spoke on the topic, ‘Young Lawyers as Agents of Social Change,’ tasked the budding legal practitioners to aspire for the highest position at the Bar and the Bench.
Ekperusi noted that Urhobo Nation has produced some of the best legal minds in the country such as Chief Gabriel Erikefe, Dr. Mudiaga Odje (SAN), Chief Okpoko (SAN), and others.
He charged them to surpass their achievements and follow the footsteps of Urhobo leading minds who wrote their names in the history of the legal profession in Nigeria.
Addressing reporters shortly after the event, the convener of the forum and Princess of Oghara Kingdom, Barr. Eshemitan, said the establishment of the forum provides for Urhobo nation a body that can defend it when the need arises.
“I realised I cannot function alone and the best way for us to move forward is to form a consortium of Urhobo young lawyers, so that we have a body that actively defend Urhobo territories, should we need defence in Urhoboland.
Eshemitan added that the body would create “reforms” and awareness, so that more youths would know their rights within the territory of Urhobo people.
