OPC laments zero benefits from democracy despite sacrifices

President of the Frederick Fasehun-led Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, on Thursday, expressed dissatisfaction, saying that the organization had received virtually zero benefits in this democracy for which it sacrificed so much to produce.

Afolabi expressed this concern while speaking at the 30th anniversary of the socio-cultural organization, which took place at Ejigbo Mini Stadium, Ikotun-Isolo, Lagos, saying that such treatment “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.”

It would be recalled that OPC founded by Late Dr. Fasehun and few others was born as a child of necessity, following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, believed to have been won by Late Chief MKO Abiola.

The struggle to reclaim the mandate eventually led to the birthing of the current democratic rule that the country currently enjoying.

Speaking at the event, which featured awards to Late Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Mrs. Iyabo Fasehun, Hon. Wale Oshun, among others, while a minute was observed for the falling heroes and heroines, demanded that this injustice must be corrected, adding: “All we are saying: Let OPC and its members benefit from the democracy that OPC fought and died for!”

This was just as the OPC chieftain noted that Yoruba land had, in the last 25 years of civilian rule, been blessed with two sons as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, saying that each of the six states of Yoruba land had had at least four governors with none of them given the needed support to OPC.

“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 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!” he said.

“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,” he lamented.

On the hunger and insecurity currently ravaging the land, Otunba Afolabi, flayed the way and manner the nation’s politicians were running the country against the dictate of the 1999 Constitution, querying where the security and welfare amid daily kidnapping and killing of innocent people “by imported terrorists invited by local collaborators.”

“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 an 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?” he queried.

The OPC chieftain, however, charged Nigerian politicians to borrow themselves some sense, saying that a word is enough for the wise.

Afolabi said that the government must listen to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the #EndBadGovernance agitators, declaring that the poor must be allowed to 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,” he demanded.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE