It is my pleasure to welcome you to this historic gathering.
I am also very excited that God has kept us alive to celebrate this special day in the life of our noble organization, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC)
Let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to all our guests, beginning from our royal fathers, the Arole Oodua,Kabiesi Ooni of Ife,His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and other royal fathers that are here present.
I appreciate all the six governors from the South West region, the Chairman of the day and former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Senator Gbenga Daniel, the Guest Speaker, Prof. Olufemi Otubanjo from the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, the book reviewer, Prof.Siyan Oyeweso, who is also the Chairman, Governing Council, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile Ife, Osun State, our esteemed clerics and men of God, leaders of all the civil society groups that are here present, CEOs of various corporate organizations, all Yoruba socio- cultural organizations and their representatives, members of the fourth estate of the realm.
I welcome you all to this great event.
This is not a day to bore you with long speeches.
It is a special day for us to thank God and rejoice because God has really been faithful to the OPC.
However, I will not fail to go down the memory lane and reflect on how the journey began exactly 30 years ago today.
The struggle started in July 1993, shortly after the annulment of the June 12 1993 election that was believed to have been won by the late Aare Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
As members of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) then, we decided that there was a need for us to have a regional group that will have a national outlook and also reflect the structure of the organization.
The Oodua Youth Movement was established in April 1994. But that same year, specifically, on Monday August 29, 1994, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) came to life as a socio- cultural organization that was to protect the interest of the Yoruba.
The journey was rough and tough.
But to the glory of God today, OPC has transited into a formidable organization that has since become the pride of Yoruba race.
Like a proverbial acorn tree, OPC has grown from just a group of activists to becoming an Iroko tree that has survived years of trials and tribulations.
Today, the organization that began at 110, Palm Avenue Street, Mushin, here in Lagos State, has over seven million members across Nigeria.
Thanks to all our members for their commitment and determination to ensure that the OPC takes its pride of place in Yoruba land and Nigeria as a whole.
In the course of our journey as an organization, many of our members paid the supreme price. Many lost their loved ones so that we can get to where we are today.
May their souls rest in peace.
It is also very important to say it here today that OPC has succeeded in doing justice to the story of the organization.
We are determined to make positive impact in Yorubaland and Nigeria.
We know quite well that every aspect of the organization’s trajectory is a product of academic research that must be documented in a book.
Interestingly, the book we are presenting to the public today is the third that had been written on the activities of OPC and my personal life experiences.
I want to assure you all that as we make progress in life, more books are still coming.
OPC has survived the dark era of the military, several years of police torture, provocations and brutality, as well as negative propaganda from many of our traducers.
History will not forget my personal experiences when I was declared wanted for 20 months in 2001 and 2005 before I handed over myself to the police in Owutu Police Station in Ikorodu, as well as my 18 months experiences in detention in different prisons across Nigeria.
The transition of OPC is a major milestone in Yoruba land.
In the last couple of years, the Yoruba socio-cultural organization has done well in securing Yoruba land.
We have also established a group of 13 security outfits with the name Southwest Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG)
These groups include the OPC, Agbekoya, Vigilante Group of Nigeria,(VGN) COMSAIC, and Egbe Obinrin Oodua Agbaye, among others.
The mandate of the different organizations under my leadership is to work out modalities at securing the South West.
We have sought the approval of the South West Governors to partner with them in curbing the security scourge.
I give a six month mandate and I am still repeating it today that we are ready to partner with the government to stamp out the spate of insecurity across the South West.
In the last three decades, OPC has demonstrated quality leadership as a socio- cultural organization.
We have our members as devotees of the three prominent religions.
All our members practise their religions with moderation.
As I stand before you, I have been honoured with prominent religious titles both from the Christian and Muslim folks.
It boils down to the fact that OPC is liberal in our religious beliefs and practices.
Just last week, we celebrated the Yoruba Heritage Day day as an organization
Like the victories we got with the June 12 as the new democracy day in Nigeria, it is also on record that OPC has succeeded in promoting the religion of our forebears by the recognition of August 20 as Iseese Day in four out of the six states in the South West.
Let me tell you also that the OPC has created a niche for itself by expanding the frontiers of its activities through the formation of Oodua Progressive Union (OPU)
Today, OPU,our sister organization that was created in 2012 is now in 100 countries across the six continents of the world.
The diaspora organization is now one of the leading organizations in the world
I am happy to tell you today that all Yoruba sons and daughters abroad are proud to be members of OPU.
Other groups that God has established through me include the Yoruba One Voice (YOV) and the Southwest Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG).
Part of our success story in the last 30 years is the N1 billion Legacy Project – Oodua House that was commissioned last Tuesday.
It is also interesting to tell our guests that the OPC under my leadership as the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland and the National Coordinator still has edifices in Olusoga Mushin, a 21- apartment, four suites and 19 rooms in Abeokuta.
The Oodua House in Ile Ife is under construction. We have the OPC building in Oyo, Kwara and there are landed properties in Ondo, while that of Ekiti state is still ongoing.
Going forward, it is our intention to have at least one or two buildings of the OPC across the Southwest and even beyond.
As far as we are concerned, the OPC will continue to be the leading organization in Yoruba land and Nigeria.
We will continue to protect the interest of the Yoruba and we will never fail in our efforts to promote the cultural identity of our race.
As we continue to keep the hope alive, it must be stated also that our goals and the seven key content of our struggle is clearly defined.
These include; advocating restructuring of Nigeria, protection of lives and property, promotion of Yoruba culture and identity, defending the interest of Yoruba race,playing major roles in cultural tourism, rendering humanitarian services and promotion of youth empowerment programmes among others.
STILL ON THE OPC’S POSITION ON RESTRUCTURING
As we gather here today, I think it is also very important for me to tell the world about the position of the OPC on the State of the Nation.
Nigeria has lost its pride of place in Africa.Our nation has continued to lose grip of what makes it the giant of among the comity of nations.
It is obvious that Nigeria is no longer the giant of Africa.
Other African countries like South Africa and Egypt are coming up as great nations on the African continents.
However,our major problem is the structural imbalances of Nigeria.
As far as the OPC is concerned, there is need for restructuring in Nigeria.
The restructuring must be tied to regionalism with a reflection of the 1960/ 1963 constitutions, where all the six geo-political zones can develop at their own pace.
This will reduce the burden on the Federal Government and it will enhance the socio- economic progress in Nigeria.
We are in a very difficult situation now in the country and if we didn’t restructure Nigeria now ,in the next few years, Nigeria May go down as the 20th economy in Africa.
This is the reality of the present situation in the country,as it centres on the structural imbalances of Nigeria as a nation.
Over the years, we have a long list of prominent personalities that have supported our struggle as an organization.
Many are dead and their memories are evergreen.
For those that are still alive, we will continue to appreciate them.
Prominent people like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN)the late justice Adewale Thompson, the late Amb.Olusegun Olusola, the late Prof.Sophie Oluwole and my good friend, and Afenifere scribe, the late Yinka Odumakin of blessed memories.
Prof.Wole Soyinka, Chief Femi Falana,(SAN) Barrister Femi Aborishade, my lawyers, Barrister Kehinde Oluwole,and Ebun Adegoruwa(SAN) and a few other lawyers that stood by me during the trying moments.
Dr Joe Odumakin has always been supportive and consistent with us since 2001, especially, each time we hold the June 12 memorial lecture.
It is also interesting to note that the OPC is blessed with two brilliant lawyers who are members of the National Executive Council of the organization.
They are Chief Babajide Tanimowo the National General Secretary and the Atoloye Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland.
Chief Yinka Oguntimehin who is also the Publicity Secretary of the OPC and the Asoju Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland is also another fantastic lawyer in our midst.
Members of the OPC National Executive Council(NEC) are also wonderful people in their respective areas of lives.
Let me say it that at different times in the history of the OPC, many of the past governors in the South West also did their best to support us during their administrations as Executive Governors of their respective states.
Prominent among them is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was then the governor of Lagos state between 1999 and 2007.
Others are Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola ,the late Abiola Ajimobi who was the governor when I became the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, the late Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, Akinwumi Ambode,and Ibikunle Amosun.
I will not fail to appreciate the Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde for appointing me as the ambassador of the Oyo state Amotekun.
As the ambassador, Governor Makinde gave me a brand new Hilux Pilot automobile with two members of the corps as part of my security men and the state takes care of their remuneration till date.
The Chairman of today’s event, Otunba Senator Gbenga Daniel has always been there for us.
He deserves our applause for facilitating the peace between the late Dr. Fasehun and I during the crisis period of the OPC.
Of great note is the support of all traditional rulers. Our Obas have also supported us tremendously in driving the cultural promotion activities of the OPC.
Kabiesi the Ooni of Ife, HIM Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has been the symbol of unity and cultural promotion in Yoruba land.
The late Alaafin of Oyo, HIM Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, also helped us in fulfilling this purpose. That is one of the reasons he appointed me as the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland.
May the soul of Kabiesi Oba Lamidi Adeyemi rest in peace.
There are other Yoruba socio -cultural organizations like the Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders,(YCE) Egbe Omo Yoruba in USA and Canada and a few others that supported us through the thick and thin.
We appreciate you all.
The Parakoyi Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Prof.Kolawole Raheem, who is also the Chairman of the 30th anniversary of the OPC.
Former Chief Press Secretary to two former governors of Ondo State, the late Olusegun Agagu,and Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, Chief Olusegun Ajiboye, who is the Otun Baroyin Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Comrade,Shina Looremikan has always been a friend of the house, ambassadors Bayo Obatungashe, Olugbenga Onasanya and other ambassadors of the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF)
We thank all members of the OPU from across the 100 countries in the world.
Prominent scholars like the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Olufemi Otubanjo usually add value to our programme as Guest Speakers.
The Universities across Southwest have also contributed greatly to our scholarship programmes by giving us names of brilliant and indigent students that are eligible for our scholarship programmes.
And as I have said earlier, the list is inexhaustible and too numerous to mention
Finally, as I stand before you today, I want to assure you all that OPC will continue to grow in leaps and bounds.
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Our organization will not relent in our efforts to protect the Yoruba against internal and external forces.
We will continue to defend the interest of the Yoruba people and justice in Nigeria and we will always seek the truth, justice and fairness, as that is the best legacy we can hand over to the next generation of Yoruba race.
Thank you for listening, God bless you all.
Being a text of speech delivered by the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland and the National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress ( OPC) Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams,at the grand finale of the 30th anniversary of OPC, August 29,2024, Ikeja Lagos.
