Followers of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) led by late Dr Fredrick Fasehun, on Wednesday denounced the plan by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba Land, Iba Gani Adams to honour the late OPC leader, maintaining that Adams had no right to do so.
Iba Adams will on Thursday in Lagos honour the late OPC leader alongside other prominent Yoruba, both dead and living, including Professor Wole Soyinka, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), among others as heroes of democracy.
President of the congress, Aare Prince Osibote, said this at a press conference, which took place at Century Hotel, Okota area of Lagos.
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According to Osibote, Iba Adams lacked the authority to organize such gathering in honour of Fasehun as he never respected or honoured the late OPC founder while he was alive and, therefore, has no reason or whatsoever to bestow any honour on him.
“Gani Adams cannot honour Frederick Fasehun. Ask him, where did they bury Fasehun? Ask him his (Fasehun) address?” Osibote queried, even as he maintained that only three people formed the OPC on August 29, 1994, as disclosed by Fasehun in his book of which Adams was not part of.
“A bunch of interlopers are on the prowl again. They are desperate to reap where they never showed. Like land grabbers, they are effortlessly trying to deface history books dishing out tissues of lies from the pit of hell. They are fabricating lies on the story of the birth and dramatis personae behind the OPC,” he said.
“The OPC has no room for impostors. The OPC has no place for feeble-minded who will claim to be a servant of the people in the day but would collude with vampires and hyenas in the night to undermine the interest of Yoruba nation,” he added.
Osibote declared that the group was not interested in the award for the late Fasehun from Iba Adams, adding that none of OPC members from their end would attending the event slated for such as anyone who does so would be considered a traitor.
He emphasised that OPC remained one and united on the cardinal goal and dream of its founder, declaring that it had “no splinter group nor any other leadership structure than I represent and I lead,” just as he urged Adams to look for another name to call his own group and stop looking for problems.
This, he said became imperative, warning that anybody trying to test the will of the group should quickly have a rethink.
“Any other one is fake, imaginary and delusionary, if they desire institutions similar to the status and pedigree of OPC, let them adopt a different nomenclature and embrace the Spartan lifestyle of Dr Fasehun and the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, that enabled them to carve a niche for themselves, in the place of trying to turn logic on its head.
“I repeat, we have laid our hands on the plough; we are not going to look back. Those planning to test our will and resolve to stick to the ideals and goals of OPC from inception should quickly have a rethink. They should retrace their steps.
“Enough is enough; nobody should taunt the OPC because he is seeking a credible platform to whet his gluttonous appetite and drive. All serpents and vampires and hyenas must leave OPC alone. If they think they can appropriate OPC because Fasehun is no longer with the Yoruba physically, they better have a rethink,” Osibote warned.
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