National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, has described the invasion of Yorubaland by militants as “a big slap on our race”.
To check the embarrassment, Adams gave a marching order to members of the Congress to resist invaders of Yoruba land .
The OPC chief, while speaking during the 2016 edition of the annual Ifa Festival, organised by the Olokun Festival Foundation, which took place in Abule-Ado area of Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State, described the invasion of South-West by militants as ‘one too many’.
He told the mammoth crowd at the occasion that the OPC had some weeks before the deployment made some sacrificial offering as a result of the invasion by the Niger Delta militants.
The OPC chief stated that the decision to appease the gods in Yoruba land was taken during a National Coordinating Council meeting of the group in Akute area of Ogun State .
“I told the coordinators to make some sacrificial offerings in all their local governments and by the next meeting, over seventy five per cent of them had done the offering.
“It was not up to a week after that when President Muhammadu Buhari deployed the military to the place. One thing actually led to the deployment of the soldiers. Even if the Federal Government had not deployed the military men, our men would have confronted them. Our men in Isawo battled with the Niger Delta millitants and facilitated the release of two abducted people in the community”
He also directed members of the OPC to go out in full force and challenge the militants.
“We are committed, we are determined and we are resolute. We can no longer wait for the government and allow people to terrorise Yoruba land”.
Adams described Ifa as the Lord’ s solution to whatever problem that may confront mankind and urged people to seek knowledge from Ifa.
“Orunmila is the grand priest of Ifa divination and he was always consulted before, during and after problems. People in those days consulted Orunmila, who in turn used Opele and Opon Ifa to seek knowledge from Olodumare. It is not until when a man gets problems that he consults. Ifa offers solution to mankind to prevent thorns that may appear in the course of one’s life. A good example of what Ifa can do is the computer. It can even do far beyond the computer ”
Adams advised that traditional rulers should look inward and appreciate the Ifa priest in their domains and seek solutions to problems that are confronting not just their towns but also other towns and the country as a whole.
The Guest Speaker at the event, Chief Lekan Ajorotutu, described Ifa as the encyclopaedia of human existence and as essential to human life .
At at the event were Prince Owolabi Oduyebo, the Baale of Ateere, Chief Ifagbenro Atunfagbonbiada, the Araba of Ebute Ikorodu, Chief Rasak Oladosu, Special Assistant on Communication to Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Amb. Yomi Fashlanso, Chief Femi Davies, Chief L.A. Adeola, the Baba Sango of Ijora land, Chief Afolabi Hassan , member OPU executive, India, Chief Victor Adewale, Deputy Coordinator of OPU, Europe , Prince Olawale Ayinla, Treasurer , OPU worldwide and others.
