The National Coordinator of the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams has urged the Yoruba to be wary of crises in the northern Nigeria. He also advised them to shun religious discrimination to avert similar crisis in Yoruba land.
Adams said this while speaking with journalists shortly after delivering a speech at the Oro-ebedi Festival at Iseyin, Oyo State.
According to him, there was the need to identify with our culture and heritage instead of demonising them. He added that there must be mutual respect among religions, especially Islam, Christianity and traditional religion.
He said: “We should not discriminate against any religion on the basis of being holy or not. You can consider your religion to be the best, but do not demonise others. If we are not careful about religion, what happened in the north may re-occur in Yoruba land.”
He appealed to religious leaders eschew incisive comments that are capable of dividing Nigerians along religious lines, saying tradition is different from religion.
He also revealed that he has, through the efforts of other Yoruba men and women across the globe, established O’odua Progressive Union (OPU) in no fewer than 61 countries.
While educating the audience on the difference between OPC and OPU, the chief promoter of the Olokun Festival explained that the OPU was formed to unite Yoruba men and women in the Diaspora and to create a link between them and those at home, while OPC was formed to represent the interest of Yoruba nation in general.
He said: “We have launched OPU in 61 countries. The last was in Togo. This month, we are planning to launch OPU in Gambia and Zambia. This organisation was formed to unite Nigerians in the Diaspora because it is during the elections that the government recognises Nigerians in the Diaspora.
“OPU is different from OPC. OPU is an organisation that emphasises on our culture and heritage to unite Nigerians all over the world.”
Adams, who revealed that members of his team in the OPC are promoting festivals to boost tourism, declared that fiestas such as the Oro-Ebedi, Oke-Ibadan, Olokun and Osun Oshogbo, among others, should be strengthened and developed for socio-cultural and economic development.
He noted that “the festivals are being organised to boost tourism thereby promoting the economy.
“the celebration of festivals in honour and homage to Yoruba gods is the foundation’s way of contributing to the growth and development of our tourism potential.
“It is unexplored alternative revenue earner that can accentuate our common quest for the economic development of Yoruba land and Nigeria.
While speaking on the importance of Oro Festival, Adams declared that “Oro Cult is an outstanding institution that performs political, judicial and religious functions among the natives. It is used for social purposes and to preserve order in private and community life.
In his speech, the Aseyin of Iseyin land, Oba Abdulganiyu Ologunebi Ajinanse 1 praised Adams and his colleagues for promoting Yoruba culture. The monarch implored members of the OPC to ensure that they continued to rebrand the group from the militia status to a well-cultured group.
