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Sapele Town in Okpe kingdom, Headquarters of Sapele local government area, belongs to the Urhobo people of Okpe Kingdom, who established it as Urhiapele, Prof. Hope Eghagha, former Commissioner for Higher Education Delta State, has said. Prof. Eghagha made this assertion while delivering the first distinguished scholar lecture of the Faculties of Arts, Law and Social Sciences of Southern Delta University, Orerokpe Campus at the university Auditorium at Orerokpe on Thursday 12th January 2026.
According to the erudite professor the culture and traditions of the Okpe people of Sapele and Okpe local government areas of Delta State are sacrosanct and no one should attempt to rewrite history by claiming ownership of Sapele which has been established by historical facts and judicial precedents from time immemorial as an Urhobo community.
In the distinguished scholar lecture titled Cultural Constellations and Intersections in Virtual Space – Identifying Niches and Trajectories for National Development, Prof. Eghagha posits that the Virtual Space has a wide range of opportunities to export the Urhobo culture, the songs and dances of the Urhobo people, and indeed all the tribes and cultures in Delta State to the world.
He pointed out that the smart phone in the hands of the youth is an asset that they can leaverage on to make billions of naira. Prof. Eghagha advised those youths who are involved in Internet fraud to change and redirect their minds and energies towards positive ventures such as content creation to make good money.
He opined that Yahoo boys are intelligent and smart because it takes a high level of intelligence to convince someone to part with his retirement benefits and hard earned money. The government needs to create something like our own kind of Sillicon Valley where the youths can be engaged for a consecutive period of one month to come up with novel ideas and intellectual products that can benefit the society.
Despite the presence of fake, original fake, and fake originals in today’s virtual space, the Internet holds the key to the future as the next industrial revolution. He posits that many of his students in the university of Lagos pay their tuition fees through content creation and advised Delta youth to do likewise.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for
Higher Education, Prof. Tonukarin revealed that the Executive Governor of Delta State loves education, and it is evident in the increase in the number of students of tertiary institutions in Delta State from 55,000 when he assumed office as governor to over 100,000 presently.
He added that the budgetary allocation to Education in the curren̈t fiscal year is N100b 60% of which is meant for capital projects and infrastructure development.
He added that the state government has recently employed over 1,000 academic and non-academic staff in the 9 tertiary institutions in the state to boost learning in the schools.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Provost of the Orerokpe campus, Prof. Akpovughaye Taiga thanked the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sherrif Oborevwori, for the infrastructure development of the new campus. He also appreciated the Vice Chancellor, Prof. J. S. Oboreh for his support.
Speaking in the same vein, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom who was represented by the traditional prime minister of the kingdom Chief Affe, appreciated the governor for bringing a campus of the university to Orerokpe which has brought development to the ancient kingdom. He added that Okpe people are loving and caring people and that Sapele belongs to Okpe.
Dignitaries present at the occasion include the Dean postgraduate studies, Delta State university, Abraka Prof. Sunny Awhefeada and his university Orator counterpart, Prof. Enajite Ojaruega, both of whom were discussants of the lecture, the Orodje Okpe Kingdom HRM Major General Felix Mujekperuo (rtd) Orhue I who was represented by the traditional prime minister, Chief Affe, Prof. Sam Oyovwaire, a former minister of information, and Chairman Delta State Advisory and Peace Building Council and a host of others.
The high point of the occasion was the presentation of a plaque to the distinguished lecturer; Prof Hope Oghenerukevwe Eghagha, by the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon Sherrif Oborevwori, who was represented by the Hon. Commissioner for Higher Education Prof. Nyerhovwo Tonukarin.
