Nigerians can’t quantify Fasehun’s sacrifices, says NADECO

National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) has said that the sacrifices the founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), the late Frederick Fasehun, made for Nigeria cannot be quantified.

The political pressure group said this yesterday when it visited the widow of the pro-democracy activist, who died last week at 83 years.According to NADECO, Nigeria has already lost one of a specie committed to a federal arrangement whereby people of various ‘flavours’ will govern themselves without hindrance.

Chairman of the group and former military administrator of Lagos State, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd.), who led the general secretary, Ayo Opadodun; the Asiwaju of Ikaleland, Dr. Amos Akingba; one of Nigeria’s celebrated playwrights, Fred Agbeyegbe, and other members, urged the family to take courage and continue with the deceased’s legacy.

His words: “At times, when people pass, eulogies are passed. But for the benefit of the younger ones, I want to say that Fred was not an angel in our struggle; but the sacrifice he made for this country, you can’t quantify.”

However, son of the deceased, Remi Fasehun, assured NADECO members that he would pick it up from where his father stopped.Meanwhile, G9, the umbrella body of all self-determination groups in Nigeria, has declared a month-long mourning to honour the late OPC founder.

The convener, Tola Adeniyi, described Fasehun’s transition at this critical moment of Nigeria’s evolution as a great tragedy, particularly to the Yoruba and all apostles of restructuring of the Nigerian polity.The Jagun Oodua of the Source recalled with nostalgia that no serious effort was made to free the Yoruba nation from internal colonisation since the historic foundation of Agbekoya by Tafa Adeoye in 1967 until Fasehun, a medical doctor, founded the OPC in 1993.

According to a statement from the G9, the OPC under the studied guidance and leadership of Fasehun and his foot soldiers wrestled the draconian regime of the late General Sani Abacha to a standstill. It said: “Fasehun worked tirelessly with NADECO and was credited with spiriting the legendary Anthony Enahoro out of the country in those troubled days.

“Fasehun gave everything to the struggle for the protection and emancipation of the Yoruba nation and spent years in prison as a price for the struggle.”The G9 condoles with the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Gani Adams, who was Fasehun’s comrade-in-arms, and all OPC foot soldiers.Adeniyi said: “We commiserate with his wife and family as well as all royal fathers, particularly the Oonirisa, the Alaafin and the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom.

“Yoruba race has lost a trustworthy hero. The Yoruba nation has lost a selfless defender. The Yoruba country has lost a visionary protector. May Olodumare and all the orisas of the Yoruba race receive his soldiering spirit and may all his struggles translate into victory for our nation.”