The Oodua Progressives Union, OPU, a socio-cultural group, convened by the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, suffers a terrible blow as crisis rocks its Canadian chapter.
The OPU which came up as the international wing of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, was founded some years ago, for the Yoruba in Diaspora.
It was reliably gathered that the Canadian chapter of the group is currently on the horns of a dilemma as members lock horns over alleged imposition of officers by the Convener, Chief Adams.
Trouble started when the Convener of the group, Chief Gani Adams ordered the chapter to fix people loyal to him, as executive members, and into the board of trustees of the group.
The imposition, it was learned, did not go down well with the majority of the members, who resisted the move.
As a way of taking over the control of the organization, Chief Gani Adams, was said to have instigated some members of the group to pass a vote of no confidence on the Coordinator, Prince Julius Ojo and his Deputy, Ms. Sade Daramola. They were both voted out by some members in the midnight gang up, whilst others were still asleep.
The action, it was gathered, prompted over seventy members of the group to renounce their membership of the organization.
According to some of the aggrieved members of the Chapter, “we are out of Oodua Progressives Union, this is nothing but good riddance to bad rubbish. We thought OPU would be a better platform for us to bring ourselves together in peace and harmony, not knowing that the organization would sow seeds of discord among us. Most of us have been in Canada for many decades, dining and wining together in peaceful co-existence.
We have never experienced any quarrel, any rancor, any acrimony. But since the arrival of the Oodua Progressive Union in Canada, the organization has turned us against each other.”
They stated further, “when the organization was launched in Toronto, two years ago, many of us flew in from different provinces to celebrate and stay with the Convener and his entourage for almost two weeks. We left our families and works in an effort to protecting and upholding Yoruba cultural heritage and values,” They stressed.
Prince Ayoade Adedeji, who said he has been at the forefront of championing the cause of Yoruba race for many years in Canada, condemned the style in which the OPU is being run. “No organization can succeed in this manner,” he said.
In the same vein, Olori Subuola Celestina Adekolu, a notable stakeholder said: “A house built with lies cannot stand unless truth becomes its a foundation. OPU was built on lies, that is why we’re witnessing all these. This is very sad and unfortunate. OPU has torn us apart as a result of leadership issues. The removal of the Coordinator and his Deputy was a coup against humanity. The Coordinator and the Deputy were wrongly made to pay prices for their love for the common members”
Other members of the group said the lackadaisical attitudes of Chief Gani Adams towards reconciling members and dealing with issues are nothing to write home about.
“It seems he believes in dividing us in order not to be united against him. This bad; if other countries are taking that, we will never condone that in Canada.
The aggrieved members, therefore, warned that nothing untoward should happen to any of their members in Canada and whenever they visit Nigeria, noting that “some people have been threatening some of us when it gets started. Chief Gani Adams would not be able to rescue the situation.