After
25 years of existence, National Coordinator Oodua Peoples Congress
(OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, said the socio-cultural group may have to
spread its tentacles to partisan politics.
The move, according to
him, is geared towards liberating the Yoruba nation from the shackles
of poverty, oppression and other injustice that has been her lot over
the last years.
Adams, who recalled how OPC started with nine
members at Palm Avenue in Mushin in 1994, supposedly to liberate the
Yoruba nation and restore the mandate of late business mogul cum
philanthropist Moshood Kashimawo Abiola who won the 1993 election
adjudged freest and fairest in the country’s history, lamented that that
struggle has achieved little so far despite that it claimed over 2,500
martyrs.
Adams, who is the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, spoke on Thursday at the 25 anniversary of OPC in Lagos.
He
lamented that the ultimate aim of OPC, which is the call for
restructuring, has been repeatedly defeated, leaving the socio political
organisation with little or no choice than to restategise so as to
improve the living standard of its over 6million membership spreading
across the nation, especially the Southwest.
He said: “Without
mincing words, let me say categorically that the next few months will
determine whether we will remain politically neutral or partisan.
“Do not forget that what gave birth to OPC was struggle for the revalidation of June 12, 1993 election.
“From there, we went to demand for the total restructuring of the country. “The
most recent irreducible for those who have followed this restructuring
is for government to implement the recommendations of the National
Conference convened by administration of Goodluck Jonathan.
“It
is in light of this that I say that in the next few months, if there is
no tangible evidence that this country will be restructured, then OPC
will become partisan.
“We are still keeping the details to our
chest. However, with a membership of over 6 million, even if its members
of the legislature at the federal and state levels that we are able to
produce, we will be in position to influence what happens in government
at all levels. Time for ‘siddon look ‘ is over.’
Adams, who also
bemoaned the increased wave in kidnapping and ritual killings across the
Southwest, expressed confidence that the six million standing army of
OPC is up to the task.
Nonetheless, Adams said the group would
continue to use its cultural mileage to negotiate on behalf of the
Yoruba, adding that it might then end up adopting militancy as the last
option should all entreaties fail.
He expressed happiness that
OPC has grown in leaps and bounds with Oodua Progressive Union as an
offshoot and presence in 87 countries to protect the interest of Yoruba
in diaspora.
Adams views were supported by Pa Ayo Adebanjo a
member of NADECO, spokesman of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, his wife Joe
Okei Odumakin, Comrade Femi Aborishade, and a professor of Political
Science Tunde Babawale. Babawale who was guest speaker, urged OPC to
team up with organisations of like minds so they can, on concert, push
for restructuring.
He also admonished OPC to adopt diplomatic
means of engagement in its agitation, adding that militancy should be a
weapon of last resort. “For OPC, it is not yet uhuru. You can only
stop your agitations once it achieves democratic governance, promotes
social justice, economic equity, and the restructuring of Nigeria to
make it a federation in word and in deed,” Babawale said.
Pa
Adesanya recalled how the birth of OPC during the June 12 saga, suddenly
changed the misconception that the Yoruba were cowards. He said: “It
was a time of a seeming hopelessness. It was a time other tribes felt
Yoruba would simply fold their arms because the mandate of their kinsmen
had been taken from them.
“But OPC challenged that impression and today, many have come to acknowledge the true Identity of the Yoruba.”
Odumakin demanded state police to address the myriad of security challenges nationwide.
“It’s
about time the Federal Government realised that they can no longer
police from Abuja. The country needs state police now,” he argued. Odumakin continued: “Some have argued that state police will result in armed bandits: but I disagree.
“State
police does not mean governors in their respective states will be given
the liberty to them into armed thugs. State police will be a body that
will be managed by government to ensure insecurity across all
localities.”
Joe Okei Odumakin urged the Yoruba nation to
establish a hall of fame for the over 2,500 that perished during the
June 12 struggle.
Inspector General of Police, who was
represented by AIG Adeleye Oyebade Zone X1 Osogbo, noted that owing to
the wave of inssecurity nationwide, the police are adopting new
strategies by emphasizing more on community policing.
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