The Urhobo Editors and Publishers Alliance (UEPA) was formally inaugurated on Saturday at a historic ceremony in Ughelli, Delta State, marking the beginning of a new chapter for cultural journalism, professional collaboration, and heritage preservation among Urhobo media practitioners at home and abroad.
Held under the theme “The Media as Custodian: Revitalizing Urhobo’s Traditional Institutions in the Digital Age,” the event brought together journalists, academics, traditional leaders, and civic advocates committed to redefining how Urhobo stories are told, preserved, and projected in modern media.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. O’Diakpo Obire (PhD)—a respected researcher, public affairs analyst, and global authority on indigenous governance—challenged media professionals to embrace their role as guardians of Urhobo identity, heritage, and collective memory.
He stressed the importance of portraying institutions such as the Ovie and the Ilorogun/Ekakuro with respect and depth, warning that cultural neglect leads to erasure. “Whatever Urhobo does not document, promote, and defend, the world will forget,” he warned.
Dr. Obire proposed four strategic pillars to strengthen cultural media practice: adopting a Code of Cultural Media Ethics, building structured partnerships between media organisations and traditional institutions, enhancing coverage of indigenous justice systems, and embracing digital innovation to project Urhobo culture onto the global stage.
UEPA’s leadership reiterated its dedication to transparency, responsible reporting, and professional integrity. They pledged to use media platforms to strengthen community unity, combat misinformation, and highlight excellence across Urhobo communities.
Dr. Obire also urged Urhobo professionals in public and private sectors to cultivate a renewed spirit of collective support, insisting that politics must unite rather than divide. He emphasised the need for development-focused collaboration across all 24 Urhobo kingdoms.
With its inauguration complete, UEPA is set to launch a nationwide and diaspora-driven outreach campaign aimed at expanding digital capacity, supporting cultural storytellers, and elevating Urhobo narratives across diverse media platforms.
