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 is even as Urhobo Young Lawyers Forum (UYLF) has been unveiled by the Legal Adviser of the UPU Youthwing, Princess Omeyoma Eshemitan Esq. to promote Urhobo interest.
The President General of the umbrella Urhobo body, Chief Ese Gam Esq., 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, on Thursday.
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 agenda.
Chief Gam, represented by Andrew Obido Esq. 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.
“Technology is the new normal, any young lawyer must be developed to fully participate in the legal order of the day. Understand your environment; Urhobo lawyers should engage in public advocacy on issues that will benefit the Urhobo people,” he stated.
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.
“And also, to develop ourselves within the profession. So for the first time ever, we have launched today, the Urhobo Young Lawyers Forum, which will also function simultaneously with what we call the Urhobo legal clinic.”
Eshemitan added that the body would create “reforms” and awareness, so that more youths would know their rights within the territory of Urhobo people.
“We are expecting what lawyers do, legal reformation, more youths by this union to know their rights and to have a body they can depend on for the defense of their civil rights and justice within Urhobo territory.
“We are expecting them to put money aside and focus on giving back to the society, using this platform to give back to the Urhobo nation, using the legal profession. So we are expecting them to be active within the forum, to defend the forum when we call on them. When Urhobos call on lawyers, we are expecting the lawyers to show up through the forum”.
Dignitaries who attended the ceremony were Wife of the Ovie of Oghara Kingdom, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Magistrate Iyobosa Eshemitan, former lawmaker, Ethiope Federal Constituency, Hon. Ben Igbaka, Chiefs of Oghara kingdom, President of the UPU Youthwing, Blessed Ughere, senior lawyers and externs.
