UPU PG, Barovbe throw their weight behind Taiga

As the election of the foremost Urhobo social-cultural organisation, Urhobo Progress Union, (UPU) draws near, the Ahwotu of Urhoboland and Johnson Barovbe, Proprietor of Westminster College, Lagos, has thrown his weight behind Olorogun Moses Taiga, the incumbent President General.

In a press statement, Barovbe said Olorogun Taiga remains the best candidate for the position of the President General of UPU.

“I supported him during the first election that brought him to power and I am supporting him again. Olorogun Taiga has performed to my expectation. He has fulfilled most of his electoral promises. Under his leadership, the Urhobo Cultural Centre Uvwiamughe, which used to be an eye-sore, is now a beautiful edifice. The micro-finance bank and the Mukoro Mowoe University projects, which he promised, are on-going. More progress will be made during his second term,” Barovbe added.

He also commended Olorogun Taiga for resolving the intractable disunity among Urhobos in the UK.

“For a long time, the UPU UK had two factions, but Taiga has been able to unite them. Taiga has also brought respectability to the office of the UPU President General. Did you hear that any politician brought money and bought the UPU over during the last election,” Barovbe asked.

He advised those who are interested in UPU positions to buy the nomination forms and contest instead of engaging in campaigns of calumny. “The elections will hold on the first week of December and is open to all Urhobos. You cannot tell anybody not to put himself up for re-election when the constitution allows it,” Barovbe said.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.