OPC Leadership: Otunba Gani Adams Remains our Boss
My attention has been drawn to a story published in some national dailies of Friday, August 7, 2015, calling on the National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC ) Otunba Gain Adams, to step down from his position.
The call was credited to one Razak Balogun, who was said to have made the call while on a courtesy call to the office of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Ordinarily, I would have disregarded the story as another ranting of a drowning man, but have decided to react to it for the sake of clarification.
The said Razak Balogun, who described himself as an acting President of the group, was indeed dismissed from the organization about five months ago for anti-congress activities by the Lagos State Coordinator of OPC, Alh. Mutair Adeshina which was widely published.
You will recall that before the latest move by the dissidents, whose only aim is to destroy an organization that was built with the sweat and blood of several sons and daughters of Oodua, some other evil minded people have made other attempts to cause disaffection among our ranks and files.
And I can confidently tell you that these ones too will fail like their previous colleagues.
It will be recalled that shortly after the 2015 general elections, a group of over ambitious young members, led by one Monsuru Akande who has expelled since 2007 held a press conference to misinformed the public about our leader and to cause disharmony within the OPC, but failed because God and the gods of our land were behind us.
In a similar vein, shortly before the April 2015 general elections, one Shina Akinpelu, who was expelled from the organization in 2013 suddenly sprang up from nowhere to lay claim to membership of the National Coordinating Council of the organization and even ascribed to himself the title of spokesman of OPC.
Following on the heels of Akinpelu was another one former member, Lateef Oshodi, who had been expelled from the OPC since 2004.
Because of their evil machinations and an attempt to remake themselves after failing to meet up with our standard of ethic and discipline, Oshodi too joined the others in their dastardly acts to cause crisis in the OPC, but once again failed.
Razak Balogun was the acting coordinator of the organization in Shomolu. He too has proven to be a man without focus.
Like the rest of the group, Balogun has been blinded by their desire to enrich themselves at the expense of the common interest of the OPC.
However, one thing must be known be all good-intentioned members of the public.
The activities of these men have not to me as a surprise. Among every 12 disciples, there is always a Judas.
These groups of people have proved to be the Judas within the ranks of the OPC. And the biblical Judas, we are waiting to see how things turn out for them.
For the benefit of the general public who are being fed with wrong information, I would love to say that the leadership of the OPC is not something that can be discussed by a few disgruntled people just because they have failed to realize their ambition of enriching themselves.
In 1999 when Otunba Gani Adams emerged as the leader of the organization, Ifa oracle was consulted and the entire members of the National Executive Council met to deliberate on the advice of Ifa.
And like true sons and daughters of Oodua, it was unanimously agreed that we should abide with what Ifa has said and based on his antecedents as a good resourceful manager since the inception of the group in 1994.
Traditionally in Yorubaland, you don’t remove a king until death, except of course if the king commits an unpardonable sin.
It is the same vain with the leadership of Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders, some stable and consistent self determination groups in Yoruba land.
Even at that, I think Otunba Adams deserves the respect of all for his efforts to make the organization grow. It is to his credit that the OPC, as it is known today, has grown from a mere organization that is usually attached with miscreants to an organization in the forefront of cultural revival in Nigeria.
It is his to his credit that the OPC has acquired several acres of land in five states across Yoruba land in preparation towards building befitting hotels in each of these states.
Today, among our members are lawyers, bankers and several highly-respected professionals.
Today, we have a new organization, the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU), an organization set up to bring together every Yoruba sons and daughters in the Diaspora.
As I speak, the OPU has been launched in more than 58 countries of the world, with more than 10 in Africa and Europe slated for launching very soon.
It is indeed very funny the way these people behave. The Otunba Adams that I know was already a millionaire even before this time.
Politics will come and go, the OPC will remain the one big, solid and united organization that we have always been.
I will, however, wish to advise members of the public most especially respected Nigeria Union of Journalists and its Oyo State Chapter to henceforth disregard this group of people and their evil plan to cause disaffection within the ranks of the OPC because most of the journalist in Lagos are well informed about their nefarious and diabolic acts and penchants for falsehood.
They are all bunch of disgruntled people seeking for new ways to redeem themselves from their self-inflicted destruction.
Here are the names of just Eleven of them that parade themselves as the National Coordinating Council members of Oodua People’ Congress: Rasak Balogun, Shina Akinpelu, Monsuru Akande, Amsat Musiliu, Ranti Akande, Lateef Oshodi, Sunday Adebayo, Segun Olusanya, Killanko Oladipupo, Akintunde Idowu and Gbenga Egunlusi
Thank you.
Chief Adeagbo Adeola,
State Coordinator, Oyo State OPC
