The Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, has once again said that there is no going back on its earlier position dissolving factions which had been a major setback for the progress of the Yoruba socio-cultural group.
The group in a press release jointly signed by Comrade Dare Adesope and Comrade Rasak Arogundade maintained that it had cancelled the issue of factions and that the two factions are now ready to work as one body.
It condemned former leaders of the group-Dr Fredrick Faseun and Otunba Gani Adams who they accused of sowing embers of disunity among members for their own selfish purposes.
“The OPC was founded with noble ideas and stood for noble ideals. It was meant to redress injustices against the Yoruba nation and to champion the cause of the oppressed. For this reason, it became very
popular and acceptable to the generality of our people. It was so popular at the inception that the organisation was protected by the people and thus assumed an aura of invincibility.
However, the same cannot be said of the organisation today. Between Fredrick Faseun and Gani Adams-the first two leaders of the organisation- all that the OPC previously stood for have either been destroyed or bastardised.”
It added: “Thus, some patriotic and revolutionary elements in the organisation stood up to challenge and stop the rot festering in the organisation. After extensive consultations within and beyond the organisation, and bolstered by the memories and spirit of our fallen comrades- who shall not die in vain- the duo of Faseun and Adams have been removed from the hierarchy of the OPC where they
have seemingly become tin gods.”
The release stated that both Faseun and Adams have been removed from their positions and that they should stop parading themselves as leaders of the group.
“The OPC is categorically stating that it neither belongs to Faseun nor Adams. It is the commonwealth of all true born offspring of Oodua and can therefore not be pocketed by any individual under whatever guise. As a matter of fact, it has recently come to light that the duo of
Faseun and Adams, for selfish and personal reasons, encouraged the haemorrhage and factionalisation of the OPC. For years, they used divide and rule tactics, turning brothers and comrades against each and one another. And for several years, needless attacks, killings and maiming where carried out by members of both Faseun and Adams factions of the OPC at the instance of the two turncoats.”
It added that the group which is now one under new leadership will work assiduously for the emancipation of the Yoruba race.
“Under the leadership of Comrades Rasak Arogundade and Dare Adesope respectively, both the New Era and Reformed intervention groups have been meeting to put an end to the man-made chaos and anarchy engendered by the previous leaders (Fasehun and Adams) who benefitted from the factionalisation of the OPC.
It may come as a surprise to many individuals-Yoruba and non-Yoruba alike- that the seemingly intractable OPC clash has been brought to a halt without external input. What several Yoruba Obas, Chiefs and other prominent Yoruba leaders of thought were unable to achieve was finally achieved through commonsensical reasoning of the new OPC helmsmen (Arogundade and Adesope) and their able lieutenants.”
The group also called for the restructuring of Nigeria; saying that it is very important at this material time.
“The OPC remains committed to the restructuring of the Nigerian nation. We are committed to the attainment of a just and egalitarian country in which all federating units and constituent nation (tribal units) will have a sense of belonging.
The OPC is also committed to the promotion and furtherance of democratic principles in Nigeria. We will as an organisation, support
the entrenchment of democracy, rule of law and all the attributes of a sound democracy.”