OLUSESAN LAOYE FROM HALLMARK NEWS
The Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), which is known as an organisation fighting for the protection of the Yoruba people of the South West, Nigeria, is now in disarray due to the purported suspension of some of its state coordinators.
It was alleged that the State Coordinators of Oyo and Osun States of the organisation, collected N35 million each from the President-elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for the presidential election. This allegation is now causing serious ripples among members of the group.
The State coordinators so accused, are Comrade Rotimi Olumo of Oyo State and Prince Aladesawe Adedeji of Osun State. The affected coordinators were accused by the National leader of the OPC, Iba Gani Adams, who is equally the Are Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, of collecting the money to facilitate the election of Tinubu in their respective states without recourse to the leadership.
The allegations against these coordinators and their subsequent suspension, sources said, have led to palpable fears among members, across the South West, as there were speculations that other coordinators of Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti States are likely to be affected, as investigations are still going on to find out about their activities regarding the presidential election of Tinubu.
With this development, the leadership of the OPC has been warned that if proper care is not taken, it could lead to the total disintegration of the body, which began during the leadership of the late Dr Fredrick Fasehun.
It was argued that this kind of issue led to the OPC, founded by Dr. Fasheun to be fragmented and, which gave room to the Iba Gani Adam’s faction of the organisation.
Before Iba Gani Adams became the leader of his own faction, he was the Director of Organisation and Strategy, under Dr Fasehun and it was the deep crisis between them that made Are Adams to break away. Before the death of Dr Fasehun, OPC had operated under two leaderships of Adams and Fasehun.
Even right now, those in Fasehun’s group operate with its own leader and coordinators, without anything to do with Gani Adam’s group. Even while Dr. Fasheun was alive the Gani Adams’-led group had already gained the ground, as it was known to be more militant than the Fasheun’s faction.
Though efforts to reconcile Dr. Fasheun and Gani Adams, before the death of the former, severally collapsed, the two had coexisted. But now, there are fears that the group may further implode with the present crisis.
The argument going on now is that if the current crisis is not controlled and handled carefully, it could a threat to Gani Adam’s leadership of his faction. Aladesawe and Olumo are the most vocal and active of the coordinators, who have drawn the battle line.
Not that alone, they were said to be the closest to Gani Adams and the notion spreading like fire, is that if Gani Adams could be that ruthless with the duo, his confidants and loyalists, then, it means that others could be dealt with at anytime and if the trend continues, there is likelihood of a serious revolt within the group, which would be difficult for Gani Adams to handle because there are now, more sophisticated and educated members, who are likely to kick against what some of them described as authoritarian nature of his leadership.
They argued that it was the same feelings they now have, that Gani Adams had against Dr. Fasheun, which led to his breakaway and founding of his faction of OPC.
What is baffling to people of the South West and the irony of the whole thing, is that the President-elect Tinubu, who was at the centre of the crisis between Gani Adams and Dr. Fasheun, is also at the centre of the ongoing crisis in Gani Adam’s OPC.
The then Gani Adams, after he emerged from hiding, allegedly teamed up with Tinubu, who was then the governor of Lagos State and, who was not on good terms with the then President Olusegun Obasanjo, against Dr. Faheun, who was alleged to have tilted towards Obasanjo.
But later, their relationship went sour, and Gani Adams allegedly accused Tinubu of “use and dump’ tactics, a situation, which made him later distance himself from Tinubu.
For a long time now, the synergy between them has never been the same and at a stage, Gani Adams was opposed to Tinubu.
Sources hinted at Business Hallmark that some Yoruba leaders and even the late Oni of Ife Oba Okunade Sijuwade and the late Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III had intervened. But the animosity never disappeared totally, as both of them operated epileptic relationship and a game of cat and mouse.
Sources further hinted that at a stage too, Gani Adams allegedly detested anyone that had something to do with Tinubu directly, among his members.
What was said to have doused the tension between Tinubu and Gami Adams, was the title of the Are Onakakanfo, which is the greatest title any Yoruba man could hold. The title is not just for anybody but a for gallant and brave man with activities that promote the Yoruba heritage.
The past Are Onakakanfo are great men, such as the late premier of the Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola (SLA) and late Chief Moshood Kashiwawo Olawale Abiola (MKO).
With that title, Gani Adams could not be seen in disagreements with notable leaders and elders in Yorubaland, as such, he had to soft pedal with Tinubu.
It would be recalled that due to the frosty relationship between Tinubu and Gani Adams, the OPC leader did not back President Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC in 2015 but pitched his tent with the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
With this situation with Tinubu, Gani Gani had always been suspicious of anyone, who has a link with Tinubu. It was further argued that this suspicion informed the accusations that both the Oyo State coordinator and his Osun State counterpart, allegedly collected N70m from Tinubu during his presidential outing and election. The allegations have so far been debunked by them.
Both Olumo and Aladesewa claimed in separate exclusive interviews with Business Hallmark, that they have never met Tinubu in their lives not to talk of having close contact with him that could warrant their being given N35m, to do what?
Narrating their ordeals and subsequent suspensions, they challenged their leader and whoever is involved in the allegations, to come out with evidence in their custody to prove that they got N35m from Tinubu.
On his part, Comrade Olumo of Oyo State explained to Business Hallmark that he could not believe the allegation because of the respect he has for Gani Adam.
“You see, I serve both the organisation and Iba Gani himself wholeheartedly. I became an OPC member in 1997 and I rose through the ranks from zonal, Local, and Deputy State coordinator to State coordinator in 2016. What baffled and depressed me was that I put too much trust in our leader and his action and allegations confirmed the adage that no one should put his hope on human beings”.
“When he first accused me and Prince Aladesawe, the Osun State Coordinator, we told him that we knew nothing about the money. He even asked us to go on oath on the matter, which we did and we thought that would convince him but to our surprise, he was not convinced. He said he would carry out an investigation on the matter and we should give him three weeks, which he never did.”
“Before the expiration of the three weeks, he just came out with the order that he has suspended us. Though he gave Prince Aladesawe a letter that he has removed him, he never sent mine because my men in Oyo State tackled him at a general meeting, that he has no right to suspend me as I did nothing to warrant that and that they were solidly behind me”
“What also amazed me was the allegation that we engaged in anti-party activities as I don’t know when OPC turned to a political party. The development in Oyo State now, is that my men are 100% behind me and have vowed that they may not have anything to do with Gani Adams’ OPC anymore.
Also, the Osun State coordinator, who Gani Adams claimed he has removed, Prince Aladesawe Adedeji, said that since December 2022, when the matter began, Gani has never been consistent.
“I want to say that on December 2022, he accused me and Comrade Olumo of wanting to collect N10 million each, from Tinubu after he had already warned us that none of us should have anything to do with Tinubu. From N10m he said it was N30m and lastly, he said N35m, you can see the inconsistency in his actions against us.”
“When we even asked him to prove the allegations, he said that his new personal Assistant (PA) told him that it was his former PA Segun Akanni now in Canada, that linked us with Tinubu, which was not true because as far as I am concerned, since he parted ways with Segun, over the same allegations that Segun was in contact with Tinubu and collecting money, against his instructions, he, has never set his eyes on Segun nor discussed anything with him, since the past four year that Segun has been in Canada.
“I have never met Tinubu and, on which platform would I have to see Tinubu? I therefore, called on well-meaning Yoruba leaders and traditional rulers, to wade into the matter, to save OPC from total collapse because it would be disastrous if politics is used as an instrument to split the OPC, which the entire Yoruba race looks up to towards protecting them”.
Following the clarion call from Olumo and Aladesawe that the Yoruba leaders should step into the matter, Business Hallmark found out that despite the entreaties made by some of these leaders, Gani Adams should take things easy, he has refused and is still very adamant.
Some of the traditional rulers in Yoruba land, who warned Gani Adam’s according to sources, are Arigbabu of Agbamu land in Kwara State, Jagun of Oyo town in Oyo State, Basorunn of Oyo town, the late Olokinni of Okinni in Osun State, who died two weeks ago, the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Akinrefon, in Ondo State, the Olugban of Ile Igban in Ogbomosho land of Oyo State and some other notable leaders.
It was learnt that the Olugban told Gani Adam that he should be very careful not to cause a crisis he won’t be able to curtail. It was further learnt that the Oba said that he was the one that coordinated the traditional rulers for Tinubu and they never received a kobo and how come Gani Adams’ accusation that his coordinators, who had no access to Tinubu would get N35m.
The Oba, it was said, told Gani Adams frankly not to do anything that would make the Yoruba people to turn against him as he would not eventually find it easy should that occur.
He also warned him to be careful not to give room for any division now, in the Yoruba race, because he should realise the race is not in the mood and in a situation to accommodate any disunity among them.
The Monarch, further told Gani that as the Are Onakakanfo, he would be held responsible, if there is no cooperation among OPC members, which could spread to other similar organizations in the land.
.
Business Hallmark was also told that Gani Adams told one of the traditional rulers that he should not mix the activities of OPC with his position as the Are Onakakanfo, as they are two separate institutions.
Meanwhile, all efforts to get the Information officers and the Personal Assistant of Gani Adams for reaction were abortive. All the calls put through to him were either not picked up while ringing or not reachable.
But a source told Business Hallmark, that Gani Adams has instructed all members of the group, especially those, who have the authority to speak on issues affecting the OPC, not to talk or comment on the matter, which according to him, is already causing serious controversies and disaffection among members.
According to the source, “the development is already a very serious issue, which some leaders have waded into.”
