SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE OODUA PEOPLE’S CONGRESS (OPC), OTUNBA WASIU AFOLABI, AT THE ORGANISATION’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, IN LAGOS, ON AUGUST 29, 2024
Our Most Esteemed Chairman of this occasion, Hon. Olawale Oshun
Our Dear Mother and First Lady of OPC, Deaconess Iyabo Fasehun
The Executive Chairman of Ejigbo Local Government Area, Honourable Monsuru Oloyede Bello
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press
Great Leaders and Members of OPC
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:
It gives me the greatest pleasure to welcome this great gathering to the 30th Anniversary of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC.
Before proceeding with my short address, I seek your permission to ask all of us to rise up and observe a one-minute silence for all our heroes past, especially the legend, DR. FREDERICK ISIOTAN FASEHUN, and all OPC leaders and members who have gone to the Great Beyond. Let us honour them with one minute of complete silence.
May their departed souls continue to rest in perfect peace!
My speech will not be long because various speakers have already captured the meaning and the spirit of this great occasion for us. However, I must acknowledge the generosity of our father and brother, the Executive Chairman of the Ejigbo Local Government, who magnanimously gave us permission to use this venue today. We pray that God shall reward Honourable Monsuru Oloyede Bello for his kindness.
OPC FOUNDATION
OPC was born as a child of necessity. After the June 12, 1993 election and most of 1994, darkness and hopelessness dominated Nigeria. The Military junta harassed and terrorised the people like a hawk toying with chickens. The Yoruba race especially felt the pain of the insult that the Military dealt us collectively by cancelling and annulling the June 12 mandate of Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. This was a mandate that Nigerians from the North to the South, from the East to the West collectively and freely handed over to this great Egba and Yoruba son.
Dr. Fasehun took the bull by the horn and founded the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in Mushin area of Lagos. Soon OPC spread not only through the South-Western states, but also to Edo, Delta, Kogi, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. OPC proved that Yoruba people were not cowards as many thought. They would not do plenty of shakara when it comes to talking, and then run away at the point of actually fighting for their human rights and democratic rights. OPC mobilised the bravest and the best of the Yoruba race to fight for the restoration of the June 12 mandate of MKO Abiola. The result of OPC’s courage and sacrifice is the democracy that Nigerians have today. OPC loyalists gave their lives. Many died. OPC blood flowed. People lost everything they ever worked for. Up till this moment, many of our members have never regained their balance.
WHERE ARE THE DIVIDENDS OF THE GREAT OPC SACRIFICE?
In the last 25 years of civilian rule, Yoruba land has been blessed with two sons as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In the last 25 years, each of the six states of Yoruba land has had at least four governors. Put together, the entire South-West has been ruled by no fewer than 32 elected governors. Which of them has remembered OPC? Which of the 137 local government areas of the South-West with over 1,000 council chairmen can boast of doing anything for OPC since 1999?
OPC has received virtually zero-benefits in this democracy for which it sacrificed so much to produce. This makes OPC look like the head used to crack the coconut but is denied the benefit of tasting the fruit of its labour and the sacrifice. This injustice must be corrected. All we are saying: Let OPC and its members benefit from the democracy that OPC fought and died for!
However, the truth must be told. OPC is not the only group complaining. Tragically, Nigerian politicians appear not to have learnt lessons from past history. They are behaving like the drunkard who has forgotten his poverty and is staggering back home with the palm-wine calabash hanging around his neck.
Certainly, this is not the democracy fought for by the likes of: MKO Abiola. Kudirat Abiola. Frederick Fasehun. Iyabo Fasehun. Anthony Enahoro. Wale Oshun. Arthur Nwankwo. Gani Fawehinmi. Alfred Rewane. Beko Ransome-Kuti. Frank Kokori. Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele. Ayo Opadokun. Femil Falana. Adekunle Ajasin. Ayo Adebanjo. Dan Suleiman. Balarabe Musa. Ganiyu Dawodu. Bola Ige. Suliat Adedeji. Supo Shonibare. Ayo Adebanjo. Olaniwun Ajayi. Solanke Onasanya. Femi Okunrounmu. Shehu Sani. Cornelius Adebayo. Emma Ezeazu. Ubani Chima. Olisa Agbakoba. Ayo Obe. Hassan Matthew-Kukah. Clement Nwankwo.
Our politicians today are running a bastard, selfish and self-serving civilian rule. The Nigerian Constitution in Section 14 Subsection 2(b) says that: “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”
Where is the security? Where is the welfare? Under the current Fourth Republic, Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world. Every single day, people are kidnapped, wounded, displaced and killed by imported terrorists invited by local collaborators.
Today, from the President to the Governor to the Council Chairman to the Legislature to the Executive, public office holders are behaving with a devil-may-care mentality.
Fuel is expensive. Hospitals have become expensive and no-go area to the majority of Nigerians. We have four refineries and civilians have refused to let them work because of selfish reasons. Schools have become expensive and education is no longer for the poor commoners. Electricity has become a luxury. Nigerians hear of millions, billions and trillions being budgeted with little or nothing to show for the budget.
Let us ask ourselves this question. Going by the way politicians have behaved since 1999, if there is need to fight for democracy again, will Nigerians masses be willing to lay down their lives today as they did for Abiola in 1994? Nigerian politicians must “borrow” themselves some sense. A word is enough for the wise.
Government must listen to the NLC and the #EndBadGovernance agitators. Let the poor breathe. Give us affordable electricity, education, fuel, gas and food.
OPC is today urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give the organisation the opportunity to contribute our quota to the energy security of Nigeria. President Tinubu should restore back to OPC the pipeline security contract that Muhammadu Buhari took away from OPC. It will tackle unemployment in the South-West, Kogi, Kwara and Edo states and end pipeline vandalism in this axis. We have done it before, we can do it again.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen: On behalf of the millions of OPC members spread all over Nigeria and Abroad, I say: Thank you for celebrating with us and may the Almighty God bless you and keep you.
