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Tag: gani adams

  • All set for Gani Adams’ birthday

    All set for Gani Adams’ birthday

    It was Margaret Mead who said that one should never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. While it is not everyone that has the chance to change the world, some people make do with trying to change their own corner. One of such people is Otunba Gani Adams, leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation.

    In a career of activism spanning decades, he has fought the good fight for the betterment of the Yoruba race. Come Sunday April 30, Otunba Gani Adams will be celebrating his 47th birthday at The Batten House on MKO Abiola Way, Ikeja at 12 noon.

    Aside the first class entertainment that will be on offer, it will be an opportunity for the OPC leader to take stock of the past and plot new strategies for the task ahead. The event is expected to command the attention of political bigwigs and activists mostly of South West extraction, who will no doubt turn out in droves to celebrate one of their own.

  • Gani Adams to FG: use tourism to develop Nigeria

    National Coordinator of the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) , Otunba Gani Adams, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use tourism as a tool for national development and progress.

    The OPC boss, while speaking in the 2017 edition of the Eledumare Festival  held recently at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos,  called for the renovation of all national monuments.

    Adams also urged the different tiers of government to harness the tourism potential in the country, so that Nigeria  can become a tourist destination. This, he said, would help in creating other avenues for generating income for the country.

    He said: “I appeal to both the states and federal government to harness the tourism potential in the country.

    “Nigeria, no doubt, can become a tourist destination in the world, if the government could tap into the tourism potential that abounds in various parts of the country. This is very important at a time like this when oil dependency seems to be leading us nowhere.

    “The need to tap at the resources for the better life of the ordinary citizens is important and tourism is one huge asset for the country, especially now that the sector is becoming a huge business in the world.”

    On the Eledumare Festival, Adams said it was important to celebrate cultural heritage.  We should also play significant roles in identifying our creator as a race.

    He said the Eledumare Festival is an important festival.He said: It is important in the sense that Eledumare is the supreme being that controls the earth and heaven. Believers in various religious denominations believe in the supremacy of God, the omnipotent and the omniscience.  Moslems call Eledumare Allah,  Christians call Him Jehovah and in the Yoruba language we call him Eledumare.”

    Adams  harped on the need to promote the Yoruba language. He said: “ The Yoruba language is important to our cultural development as a people, and we can hardly make any meaningful progress if we continue to disregard our language”.

  • Gani Adams warns militants against further invasion

    Gani Adams warns militants against further invasion

    Gani Adams gave marching order to OPC members to confront any invaders of Yoruba Land.

    The National Coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC),  Otunba  Gani Adams,  has attributed the deployment of soldiers to combat suspected Niger Delta militants in parts of Lagos and Ogun states to the spiritual  appeasement made Yoruba leaders.

    Adams, who was speaking during the annual Ifa festival, which held at the Abule Ado area of Lagos State, also sent a warning to evil-minded people to steer clear of Yorubaland, saying the OPC is ready to confront and group of invaders.

    The OPC chief described the invasion of the south west by suspected militants as a slap on the Yoruba race.

    Speaking further, Adams said the OPC carried out some spiritual sacrifices shortly before the military was deployed, adding that the deployment was the result of the sacrifices.

    He said that the decision to appease the gods in Yoruba land was taken during a meeting of the National Coordinating Council of the group in the Akute area of Lagos State.

    Adams said that his members are prepared to confront the suspected militants, saying, “even if the Federal Government had not deployed the military men, our men would have confronted them. You’ll recall that our men in Isawo battled with the Niger Delta militants and facilitated the release of two abducted people in the community.”

    He also directed members of OPC to go out in full force and challenge the militants, saying their invasion of Yoruba  land is an embarrassment.

    “We are committed, determined and resolute. We can no longer wait for the government and allow people to terrorise Yoruba land,” the OP C chief said.

    Adams described Ifa as the Lord’s solution to whatever problem that may confront mankind and urged people to seek  knowledge from Ifa.

  • Pasuma, Lanre Teriba wow guests as Gani Adams marks 46

    The 46th birthday celebration of the National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) may have come and gone, but the juicy stories from the event will reverberate in the social circles for some time.

    The event, which held at the exclusive Batten House, Plot A2 Block G, MKO Gardens Road, Ikeja, Lagos, attracted dignitaries that cut across the political, business, traditional and entertainment sectors.

    One after the other, friends and associates of the OPC leader took turns to extol his virtues, which many of them said have endeared him to them. Adams, who thanked the large crowd of friends and admirers for honouring him, said he would have wished for a quiet celebration in line with the state of affairs in the country but quickly added that there was no way he would have turned down such honour from his people.

    The roof of the beautifully decorated hall was almost brought down when Fuji music exponent, Pasuma, took the stand and everybody scrambled to join the celebrant on the dance floor. Gospel act, Lanre Teriba, aka Atorise, who performed earlier on, served the dual purpose of doing a praise worship, which saw many sang in praise of God, and later switched to some danceable tunes. He wowed the crowd with his beautiful stage crafts, which left them asking for more. The high point of the event was the cutting of the birthday cake, which saw dignitaries joining the celebrant and his wife.

  • Gani Adams urges Fed Govt to seek spiritual help

    Gani Adams urges Fed Govt to seek spiritual help

    The National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, has called on the Federal Government to seek spiritual solution to the nation’s economic woes.

    Adams made the call at the grand finale of the annual Aje Festival in Lagos.

    “Now is the time to appreciate Aje, the deity that is in charge of fortunes and prosperity. It is apparently the most sought-after in life. And God has created a kind of unique spiritual affinity between man and wealth.

    “It is sad that Nigeria could be in this situation, despite its huge human and natural resource. It is an Irony of fate that Nigeria’s budget keeps increasing annually, yet there is little to show for it. And the truth is: We have lost touch with the spiritual realm.”

    Speaking further, Adams political leaders to ensure that they deliver on their electoral promises, saying, “you must ensure that you deliver on your promises to the people. Your words should be a measure of what you are worth.”

  • Gani Adams must go, Ondo, Kwara OPC state coordinators insist

    Gani Adams must go, Ondo, Kwara OPC state coordinators insist

    Ondo and Kwara states Coordinators of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) yesterday insisted that the National Coordinator, Otunba Gani Adams, must resign.

    Some state coordinators in February passed a no confidence vote on their estranged leader, accusing him of alleged high-handedness and financial malfeasant.

    Consequently, the aggrieved members petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe about 17 years leadership of their former boss.

    Rotimi Akinsowon (Ondo) and Marauf Salami (Kwara) spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a meeting with members of the group.

    Salami said: “Gani Adams must resign as OPC National Coordinator. There is no alternative because he has caused a a lot of irreparable havoc to OPC and if we fail to push him out of the system today, history will not forgive us tomorrow.

    “He used the OPC to catapult himself from obscurity to popularity. Gani Adams uses the cerebration of Olokun, Oya and other festivals to promote himself.

    “He headed OPC for 17 years but the group cannot boast of anything as he has cornered all. OPC has no account. He is the alpha and omega. He is the pencil and eraser for good 17 years. Enough is enough.

    “We don’t the group to be factionalised. It has happened once and we don’t want a repeat. That is why we are appealing to our members not to engage in any confrontation with those who still believe in him. We don’t to pick anybody now to lead the organisation until Gani Adams steps down from office.”

    Akinsowon added: “Our petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the huge sum of money he received from the late Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on behalf of the OPC is still being investigated.

    “I am confident that in no distance time EFCC will invite Gani Adams for interrogation. We are insisting on his probe because he collected the money in the name of OPC.

  • Adams denies receiving $22m from Ghadaffi

    Adams denies receiving $22m from Ghadaffi

    Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) National Coordinator Gani Adams has described calls for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe him as misguided.

    Some OPC state coordinators, at a briefing in Kwara State by Salami Olarewaju, urged EFCC to probe how over N1billion alleged got to Adam’s account.

    Adams, in a statement, said those who addressed the press conference were former OPC coordinators for Kwara, Ondo and Oyo states.

    He said the allegation that he collected N9billion from former President Goodluck Jonathan, and $22million from the late Libyan president, Mummar Ghadaffi, were unfounded.

    Adams said he has never set foot on Libya, nor has he ever met the late Ghadaffi or any of his agents at any time.

    He said when the issue first came up, he petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), informing them of the allegation and pleading with the Service to help investigate the source of the allegation in order to get to the root of the matter.

    “I want to once again plead with the DSS to, as a matter of urgency, make sure that these people who have accused me of this grave crime are made to prove the source of their allegation, and if they are not able to do so, should be made to face prosecution for their actions.

    “They should explain what the money is meant for and how it was sent to me. Such huge amount of money cannot be transferred to an individual secretly, so they need to do more explanation on how I allegedly received this money.

    “I am not a war mercenary, and I am not sure that Ghadaffi was a Father Christmas who would want to give out such money as a gift.

    “Our organisation is a peaceful socio-cultural group, with the sole aim of promoting the cultural heritage of Yoruba race,” Adams said.

    On N9 billion allegedly received from Jonathan, Adams said the claim is laughable because not even Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidates got such amount to prosecute their campaigns.

    He said the allegation was first made ahead of the general elections when it was alleged that his group got N9 billion for a pipelines surveillance contract.

    The OPC leader said neither he nor OPC received a kobo from the government as payment for the contract.

    Adams also dismissed allegations that he received N1.6billion from a former minister of state for defence Musiliu Obanikoro.

    “To the best of my knowledge, the last time that I saw the former minister was when he accompanied the former President to the National Confab. They need to explain to the world how I got the money and for what purpose it was meant for.

    “Let me put the records straight here. I am neither a politician nor a PDP member. I have said it several times in the past that our support for the former president was based on our belief that he stood a better chance of implementing the recommendations of the National Confab, which we believed, and still believe will serve the interest of the Yoruba race better.

    “I tell you, anything outside this is a lie and mere fabrication of those alleging it,” Adams said.

    ‎On claims that he shows disrespect to Yoruba royal fathers, Adams said: “This particular allegation is not only puerile, but also shows the level of mischief of these people.

    “Without any fear of contradiction, I stand to say I am one of the best Yoruba sons who have cultivated, promoted and maintained a very good relationship with all obas in Yorubaland.

    “It is on record that, through the singular efforts of our organisation, and to a large extent, my personal commitment to the ideals of ensuring the unity of Yorubaland and ensuring the peaceful coexistence of Yoruba people all over the world, I have worked tirelessly crisscrossing the Southwest and promoting one cultural festival or the other.

    “They alleged that I only bowed to our revered father, His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Babatunde Enitan Ogunwusi.

    “Definitely, nothing can be further from the truth.”

  • OPC coordinators push for Gani Adams’ probe

    Some state coordinators of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) have urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the bank accounts of the group’s National Coordinator, Gani Adams and some of his personal aides.

    The coordinators advised the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to monitor the banking sector, asking that “how can someone save over a N1billion within one month without the bank raising an alarm if there is no connivance”?

    Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the state coordinator, Salami Olarewaju, urged the national coordinator to react to the allegation of $22 million he collected from the late Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi.

    Flanked by Oyo and Ondo state coordinators, national publicity secretary and other national leaders, Olarewaju said: “Gani Adams has lost direction, focus and abandoned the main objectives formation of OPC.

    “He is a product of crises; he has turned OPC to his  personal property; he runs the affairs of OPC as his family company and he should know that Kwara State is not an extension of Lagos or any other state.”

    Said he: “He promised our members that if Jonathan released money, each member will get between N200,000 and N250,000 as empowerment.

    “Jonathan released N1.6 billion for that empowerment and there was nothing to show for it. He should explain how Jonathan’s money was spent.

    “Before the election, there was a publication by Alhaji Lai Mohammed that Gani Adams had collected N9 billion from Jonathan to disorganise the Yoruba race.

    “We denied that but later we realised that he collected the money.

    “At the first meeting after the election, he told us that he spent N800million on OPU outside the country. Where did he get the money? He also bought some property.

    “After the election, he went to London to establish Oodua Voice Radio, which cost him thousands of pounds, where did he get the money from if he did not collect N9 billion from Jonathan.”

    Olarenwaju listed Adams’other offences as greediness, self-centredness and unaccountablity. Others are lack of respect for elders and leaders in politics and outside politics and lack of freedom for state and local government coordinators.

    “He should explain how Jonathan’s money was spent. He should show the whole world the registration certificate of Olokun Festival Foundation, Oodua Economic Empowerment Initiative and Oodua Voice Radio,

    “Just of recent, you are all living witnesses when a former President Olusegun Obasanjo went to Ooni of Ife, he prostrated before the Ooni. But when Gani Adams went, he just bowed his head and had a handshake with the Ooni. That is disrespectful.

    “He is a disgrace to Yoruba culture. When you are promoting culture and you cannot bow in front of one of the most highly respected Oba in Yoruba land that is totally unacceptable,” he added.

  • It’s irreparable loss — Gani Adams

    The death of Ooni of Ife,  Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse 11, has been described as a monumental and irreparable loss to the Oduduwa race.

    The National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and Convener of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU), Otunba Gani Adams, made the remark, while reacting to the transition into eternal glory of  one of the foremost monarchs in Africa.

    Otunba Adams said: “The enigmatic and wondrous deity of the Yoruba in human form, Oonirisa Olubuse 11, has completed his mission as assigned to him by the owners of the world. He has gloriously relocated to the ancestral abode of his progenitors to feed them back after a   memorable peregrination odyssey on the face of earth and the   completion of his assigned role as the tenderer and protector of the ancestral stool of the Yoruba.

    “Ooni Olubuse has gone   to eternally dine and wine with his ancestors and to give the feedback to those who sent him to tender their stead. “

    Speaking further, Otunba Adams added, “The biggest elephant has transited to the vault. The  iroko tree has disappeared from the forest, not to be seen or heard again, except in dreams, trance and revelation of the corpus!  It is  sad, but not tragic  that he returned home at 85.

    “Ooni Olubuse was able, not only to sustain the royal majesty and reverence left behind by his predecessors, but  also    added  colour, panache and  cultivated tremendous respect to the stool of Ooni of Ife, the cradle of the world.”

  • Gani the guard

    When a contractor’s cheese has been moved, particularly if it’s a large chunk of cheese, expect contractor confusion. A reflection of such confusion: “All I’m saying is that government can merge the community residents and law enforcement agents to police the neighbourhood. But my fear is that, if they are being merged, how are we sure that the law enforcement agents would not compromise members of the community?”

    Who was that? Well, the speaker was no other than Gani Adams, a factional chief of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), in a published interview. His company, Donyx Global Concept Nigeria Limited, recently lost a controversial oil pipeline security contract because the Muhammadu Buhari presidency considered it unworthy of renewal.

    What Adams meant was that militiamen, euphemistically described as “community residents”,   should be allowed to operate side by side with the official security agents. Adam’s company was one of the militia-related companies that enjoyed multi-billion naira security contracts when Goodluck Jonathan was president. From the beginning, the contracts in question were politically-coloured, which is a way of saying they were corrupted by politics and politicians. “About 4,000 workers were engaged by our companies – New Age Security Company owned by Dr. Fasehun; Galaxy Security Outfit Nigeria Limited owned by General Shoot-at-Sight and Donyx Global Concept Nigeria Limited owned by me.” That was Adams again in another interview.

    Apart from the absurdity of the imagined combination of forces, Adams’ expressed “fear” that the regular security personnel may have a corrupting influence on the irregular workers is laughable because it attempts to paint them in unrealistically positive colours.

    Adams’ self-promoting thinking: “The contract expired on the 15th of June. Between that 15th of June when we left and now, we have all seen what happened to our oil pipelines, especially in Arepo, in Ogun State. Every activity of these vandals, we tactically blocked during the three months which the contract lasted…But rather than get the support of the people, they were going up and down, calling us all manner of names, using the media to fight us.”

    Can anyone make Adams see the nonsense of downgrading the normal security agencies in favour of militiamen?  Can Adams understand the irrationality of the enrichment of militia leaders to the detriment of the empowerment of the country’s security personnel? Listen to him again: “The only way we can reduce pipeline vandalism is through community efforts.” He means through the use of militiamen. He said boastfully: “When we came on board, some of the vandals came to my house, promising me heaven on earth if I cooperate with them. But I walked them out.” Hail Gani, the incorruptible guard!