OPC’s role in securing South West is phenomenal – Ooni

From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

He noted that the security challenges confronting Yorubaland would have been worse, but for the intervention of the OPC in ensuring the safety of the people South West, through effective complements of the efforts of conventional security agencies.

Oba Adeyeye made this known during the 2022 edition of the Oodua Festival, held at the Palace Square, Ile-Ife, Osun state.

The first-class monarch commended the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, who is the leader of OPC, Olokun Festival Foundation(OFF) and Oodua Progressives Union ( OPU), saying he has made remarkable impacts in complementing the efforts of the Nigeria Police and other security outfits in reducing the security challenges across South West.

He emphasised the importance of celebrating the Oodua festival in Ile Ife, and appreciated the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition across Yorubaland by Adams. He added that there was need to turn the annual Oodua festival into a big festival in Ile Ife, saying the palace would support the OFF in making subsequent editions of the festival one of the major festivals in Ile Ife.

Oba Adeyeye, however, assured members and delegates of OPU), a sister organisation of the OPC, that had earlier paid a courtesy visit to him at the palace over his support, noted further that it was never a fluke for the OPU to have extended its global representations and frontiers to 96 countries across the six continents of the world.

He enjoined members of the diaspora organization to remain  worthy ambassadors of Yoruba race in their respective countries,

noting that the efforts of the global convener, Iba Gani Adams, has been a major catalyst for the progress of the diaspora organization.

“I want to appreciate the leader of the Oodua People’s Congress, and the Aare Ona Kakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, for this lofty initiative. I am impressed by his commitment to cultural promotion across Yorubaland, and I think it is better for us as custodians of Yoruba culture and tradition to support him in his efforts to sustain the Yoruba culture and traditions.”

In his speech, Iba Gani Adams, said: “Oodua Festival is a major festival that reflects the identity of our race. It is one festival that needs to be celebrated across Yoruba land. This is the truth because Oduduwa is our progenitor. He represented the symbol of leadership to the Yoruba traditional institution. Oduduwa was the king of all Obas and the deities. As the progenitor of our race, it was Oduduwa that built the structure of the traditional stool and its hierarchies.

“For example, the Otun, Osi, Basorun, Asipa, and other traditional chiefs were created by Oduduwa to ensure effective administration. That is one of the beauty of our traditional institution. So, as we celebrate the  festival in Ile Ife, I am appealing to all other Obas in Yorubaland to start celebrating Oodua festival in their respective communities.This is how it is supposed to be because our ancestor, the great Oduduwa created the stool of the traditional rulers.

“And the Oonirisa is the Arole Oduduwa in Yorubaland, while other Obas are the Arole Oduduwa in their respective communities. As the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland and chief promoter of Yoruba culture and traditions, I can say it categorically that we have various testimonies of the prospects and rewards of promoting Yoruba culture and traditions. We thank God that our efforts are not in vain. We can see the rewards.”