Founder
of Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun has urged the
group to continue defending the interests of the Yoruba race as well as
those described as “strangers” living in Yorubaland.
He
rejected what he called attempts to lump OPC with any group that “turns
arms against defenseless citizens,” saying it would continue to protest
against such attempts.
Speaking
at the OPC’s maiden award and chieftaincy-conferring ceremony, at
Okota, Lagos at the weekend, Fasheun called on members to abide by the
ideals which the group represented.
Fasheun
also expressed satisfaction on how OPC had fared since it was formed in
1994, saying it had been able to push Yoruba interest both at home and
in the Diaspora, an achievement he said, none of the OPC’s four
foundation members ever thought would be attained fast.
“But
most importantly, OPC has given the Yoruba race a new image, as a
people of courage, a people who must be considered in the scheme of
things anywhere they live in the world,” Fasheun said.
“If
you call us a socio-political group, yes we are. If you refer to us as a
militant group, you will not be far from the truth. But nobody can
dismiss us as a band of nonentity or destroyers.
“That
is why we will protest any attempt to lump OPC together with any group
that for any reason whatsoever turns its arms against defenseless
civilians and murders them at will.This has never been OPC’s modus
operandi.”
According
to Fasheun, the gathering represented part of the rebranding going on
in the group. He therefore called on members to continue to advance and
represent the ideals of the OPC.
Some members of the group were honoured for outstanding contribution to the society at the event.
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