Olomoro town as we all know it today was founded by three people who were associated with a common ancestral link. They migrated to this part of the country from Olomu and founded Olomoro. Akera founded Uruabe quarter, Obuefo founded Ukoli quarter and Omoro founded Egbo quarter. These three founding fathers of our great kingdom lived and worked together peacefully. Their children did the same for many years and there had been peace until Satan brought quarrel into our midst in the name of Odiologbo title tussle. So between 1960 to 1968, there was disunity in Olomoro kingdom as a result of the bid to establish the title of Odiologbo of Olomoro. This was when chief Udiugu of Uruabe was recognized as Odiologbo instead of chief Owhe of Egbo. There arose a civil disobedience and the Egbo quarter virtually pulled out of all public engagement undertaken by the town as a whole. Some meetings were still being organized during this period but they were short lived with little or no successful achievements. There was total disunity and the three quarters in Olomoro where more or less independent with no cohesion at the centre as a united community. Frankly speaking, during this period Olomoro literally existed in name.
Being so much disturbed about the deplorable state of the town and the enmity towards each other, Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu decided to begin making consultation with the youths which was the most probable way to bring the town back to its glory. So, one evening in his house, the few who were gathered decided to form a youth movement. Seeing the determination and enthusiasm, many of the youth began to join. The youth movement grew and it started to enroll members with Six Pence per member. This was done from 1968 - 1969. Various enlightenment campaigns were made, the gospel of unity preached and even the hardest hearts became gradually softened. Various age groups both at home and abroad began to have sympathy for the youth movement, which became the general picture then. Considering the encouragement gotten from both home and abroad, they decided to organize and call the first successful general conference of Olomoro citizens within that decade, on the 23rd of August 1969, under the auspices of the Olomoro youth association. It was in this youth conference that the quarrel in the community was resolved and the town came back to normalcy. This conference could best be described as the foundation on which the conglomeration of the three quarters to make the present day Olomoro community was built. Among other things, this conference achieved the following:
- organized and implemented the first common collection by Olomoro people after many years of disunity.
- Donation: The first organized donation was done in order to raise enough money to complete the dispensary which we started years back. We called for an impromptu donation at the conference and realized about £379 (758 naira)
- like earlier said, it was in this conference the Odiologbo dispute was resolved and unity came back to Olomoro.
Though Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu presided over the conference, He never had the premonition of becoming the president general of the community, but after seeing the way the conference was conducted and the agreement by all to return peace in the community, the whole crowd unanimously chorused Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu's name as the worthy president of the community. Other 26 people were added to make up the executive amongst who were:
- Mr. A. A. Akpovino (1st vice chairman)
- Mr. I. A. Onoita (2nd vice chairman)
- Mr. E. A. Ewofere (general secretary)
- Mr. D. U. Edewhor (financial secretary)
- Mr. T. O. B. Ogagorojor (treasurer) and others.
It was on this basis Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu accepted the mantle of leadership from the crowded conference and pledged as follows:
- To defend the Constitution of Olomoro community faithfully
- To uphold her Honor and Glory
- To guide her unity jealously
- To plan and execute her development judiciously
So help me God.
In the 10 years he occupied the position, by the grace of God, Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu was able to fulfill the pledge he made.
ACHIEVEMENTS The executives set out to achieve the objectives as was pledged before the crowd, and Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu glad that with the unflinching cooperation from many, the able assistance of the members of the executive c wasommittee, even on the face of great provocation and turbulence, He was proud to be associated with this achievement which have made Olomoro assume an enviable position in the community of Clans in the whole of the then Bendel state. Below are some of the major achievements.
- Dressing Station: They were able to construct a Dressing Station with staff quarters costing about 3000.00 naira for which we received £40 or 80 naira from the state government.
- Olomoro/Oleh Road: They were able to tie a 43/4 Mile Road from Okpe Village to Egbo quarter embarked upon at the cost of 30,000.00 naira for which the state government gave a grant of 2000.00 naira.
- Emede Road: They filled this road with Sand to make it motorable. For this the state government gave us a grant of 500.00 naira.
- Mixed Grammar School: For an easy and speedy education of our children, the town was able to build a mixed Grammar School estimated at over 100,000.00 naira.
- Loan scholarships: In pursuance of their objective to help and educate their sons and Daughters, the union gave loans to:
- Bylaws: During his tenure, a number of bylaws aimed at reducing litigations and excessive bride price were made, and people enjoyed a period of peace and progress.
- Mr. Ekwerigbe's Murder case: His committee, with the support of the whole town fought hard to have Mr. EKwerigbe Ikelegbe's murderer tried and executed.
- Master Edorinsi's murder case: A committee tracked down the owner of the taxi whose driver killed this young boy and dumped his corpse in a bush near Emevor and adequate compensation was paid to his people after due negotiation with the police at Ughelli.
- Bank deposit: For the first time ever, Olomoro Town started an annual Levy system and opened a deposit account in a bank operated under modern banking regulation.
- Written constitution: Under my leadership, a written constitution setting out the rules of this Union was made available to every Olomoro citizen.
- Branches of the Union: The unity achieved at home grew far and wide, and the original three branches which attended the first conference in 1969 increased to about 30 in 1979. During my tenure inOffice, Olomoro people all over the country became more aware of their unity and civic responsibilities to their native land.
- Launching of development fund: Under my leadership, the Olomoro community lunched development project three times:
- Government development projects: Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu was happy to point out that his era of leadership also witnessed an unprecedented growth of government amenities. Notable among them are:
- Miss Owolemu to complete her teacher training course.
- Mr. Emmanuel Esheke to enable him enter The University of Ibadan to pursue a degree course in medicine.
- 23/ 8/ 69 realized about $ 379
- 1/ 9/ 73 realized about 6008.00 naira
- 25/ 4/ 78 realized thisabout 42,512.05 naira
- Idhawae Road: It was in his era that this road, Oleh-Emede-Olomoro-Iyede was constructed. Before this time, carsdrive from Oleh to Olomoro and to Iyede.
- Electricity supply: It was also in his era that the government undertook the wiring of the town, and the Power House built at Igbide began to supply light to Olomoro and Evhwe.
- Modern market: In compliance with the wishes of our people, the Isoko local government Council built for them 88 modern market stalls 30,000.00 naira.
- Resident house: The Isoko local government Council also started the building of the resident house at Olomoro. They all knew that the former Expatriate, D.OS. lived in residence house in Olomoro. following this age long practice, they persuaded the council to build us a modern resident house which was completed a long time ago.
- Water supply: It was also in my administration that water was extended from Igbide to Olomoro.
- Enhwe-Olomoro Road: Chief Dr. S.O. Akpotu was proud to say that it was during his administration that the town decided and opened up a new Road to Enhwe. this road, happily enough, local government Council heeded our appeal and reconstructed it to make it motorable. This makes it possible for people to travel from Olomoro to Enhwe buy vehicles even in the raining season which was not so before then.
- Olomoro-Emede Road: In response to an appeal the council built a modern Bridge on this road and made it motorable for the very first time ever.
- Olomoro-Igbide Road: This road has been the traditional route from Olomoro to the riverine area. The horrible state of this road cannot be overemphasized. He remembered how men and women were compelled to wade through two large water courses. Following the appeal his administration made to the local government Council, this road was now constructed and made it motorable.
- Cash Grants: As have already mentioned, the Bendel state government made grants totaling about 2,480.00 Naira to Olomoro community for undertaking various self-help projects:
ISSUES Without gainsaying, his administration met with some serious problems which only God saw them through. Some of them are:
(C) Tree case involving Egbo and Uruabe quarters: This is also another minor incident which assumed a high dimension and almost knocked the unity of olomoro to it's very Foundation. To be brief with the story, a man from Uruabe fell a tree along IKiabodo bush. A man from Egbo quarter then accused him that, this Uruabe man had stolen the tree that has been in their family Bush. Such a minor issue. This later led to a court case at Oleh and caused a big quarrel between Uruabe and Egbo quarters this case lasted for a very long time and both quarters spent much money before it was finally resolved.
