Betrayal of trust responsible for OPC crisis, says Edo administrator

The Edo State Administrator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Prince Sylvester Eweka, has attributed the lingering leadership crisis in the socio-cultural organisation to alleged betrayal of trust by some of its members.

He made the allegation in reaction to the emergence of two factional National leaders of the body.

Prince Eweka, a loyalist to the leadership of the Aare Prince Osibote faction, said the alleged impersonation of the factional wing of Otunba Wasiu Afolabi in the State, is borne out of personal interest.

Giving a historical background of how the crisis began after the death of Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Founder of the Organisation, Eweka alleged that Afolabi who was then the Deputy President of the group unveiled and presented Aare Prince Osibote at a meeting in Ile-Ife, Osun State, a few years ago.

He wondered why he would suddenly make a U-turn and begins to parade himself as the President of the body.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• GoG Pirates Switching From Kidnapping To Oil Theft — Report

• ‘Parental Guidance Needed For Proper Use Of Social Media’

• ‘Many Nigerian Women Still Unable To Afford Menstrual Pads’

Prince Eweka explained that Wasiu had endorsed Aare Prince Osibote leadership when he led a delegation of OPC members and presented him to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; (Ọjájá II) as the new President of OPC.

In a switch reaction, Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, through a telephone conversation with Our Correspondent described the allegation of Eweka as laughable, baseless, unfounded, and lacking the truth.

He maintained that he (Afolabi), is the authentic National President of the OPC, hence, the need for the general public to outrightly disregard the allegations of Eweka.

Afolabi explained that Osibote was only appointed as interim head of the OPC in order to avail the leadership of the organisation of the time to conduct elections for a substantive National President of the Socio-cultural group.

He claimed further that the OPC National Congress elected him President and he was subsequently inaugurated National President by the wife of the Late Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Founder of the group.

It was learned that the two factional leaders of the organization had agreed to sheath their swords following a peace process that was initiated by the Benin monarch, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II towards resolving the misunderstanding that led to the division of the socio-cultural group.