In its determination to alleviate the sufferings of the widows of the deceased members of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), the Canada Chapter of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU) on Tuesday distributed over 100 grinding machines to the widows.
This came barely one week after OPC celebrated its annual Heroes day, where wives of the deceased heroes went home with cash gifts.
The event held at OPC’s national secretariat (Oodua House), Ikeja, Lagos.
Presenting the grinding machines to the widows, Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, who is also the national coordinator of the group, said the Canada chapter of the Oodua Progressives Union(OPU) was moved by the generosity displayed last week by the OPC and decided to extend their hands of generosity to empower the wives of the deceased members.
“I commend members of the OPU Canada Chapter for extending their hands of generosity to wives of our fallen heroes. It was a testimony of our resolve to keep the hope alive. The grinding machines would enhance their businesses and help in taking care of their upkeep.”
“It is a good empowerment content. And personally, I would definitely replicate the gesture in no long time”.
“Those that fell in the course of the struggle to liberate our race were not dead. Their memories still lived on and they surely deserved to be honoured and remembered for paying the supreme price. We decided to put smiles on the faces of their wives by supporting them financially”.
Iba Adams also said the gesture is ongoing and OPC would continue to cater to the needs of the widows.
He, however, maintained that the reason for this empowerment programme is to urge other members to be dedicated to the struggle.
“Our heroes lay down their lives as sacrifice during those trying moments. Those were the most challenging moments for the OPC. Like the late Kola Arowosaye, many of them died a hero. And their untimely deaths remained the symbol of our struggle and it became an inspiration to all of us”.
Going down memory lane, Iba Adams said the group lost over 3000 members to the struggle between 1998 and 2005.
“OPC lost over 3000 members. It was a long period of sacrifice and I am happy their deaths were not in vain.
“We appreciate OPU Canada Chapter for their support. Our heroes died a worthy cause. The grinding machines would be distributed to wives of our fallen heroes that actually paid the supreme price.”
Many of the beneficiaries were drawn from the long list of widows of fallen OPC members, including widows and families of the late Kola Arowosaye, Laide Afolabi, Olumide,Captain Olubode, Fatai Aweda, Muideen Oladejo,Abiola Kazeem,Olalekan Fasan,Waheed Rasaq, Basiru Ojo, Kola Oyetayo Comrade Elegbe and, Olakayode Kazeem, Gbenga Olafimihan, among others.
Wife of one of the beneficiaries, Oyetayo thanked the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, and the Canada Chapter OPU for the gesture. She tasked other beneficiaries to make good use of the grinding machines.
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