OPC marks 30th anniversary, laments flawed democracy

The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has decried the shoddy state of democracy in Nigeria, saying that 25 years of uninterrupted democracy have yielded little progress in addressing the concerns raised by its visionary leaders and the Founder, the late Frederick Fasehun.

OPC National President, Wasiu Afolabi, who made the remarks, yesterday, during an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the group, said that the neglect of people’s grievances had hindered the nation’s development and perpetuated social injustices.

He said that OPC played a pivotal role in the struggle for democracy during the military’s dictatorship era.

“OPC has received virtually zero-benefits in this democracy for which it sacrificed so much to produce. This makes OPC to look like the head used to crack the coconut but is denied the benefit of tasting the fruit of its labour and the sacrifice. This injustice must be corrected. Let the OPC and its members benefit from the democracy that they fought and died for.”

“However, the truth must be told. OPC is not the only group complaining. Tragically, Nigerian politicians appear not to have learnt lessons from past history. They are behaving like the drunkard who has forgotten his poverty and is staggering back home with the palm-wine calabash hanging around his neck.”

He berated the Federal Government for not doing enough to address some of the pressing issues threatening the nation’s corporate existence, urging it listen to the demands of the #EndBadGovernance agitators.

“Going by the way politicians have behaved since 1999, if there is need to fight for democracy again, will Nigerian masses be willing to lay down their lives as they did for Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola in 1994? Nigerian politicians must ‘borrow’ themselves some sense. A word is enough for the wise.

“Government must listen to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the #EndBadGovernance agitators. Let the poor breathe. Give us affordable electricity, education, fuel, gas and food.”

In his remarks, Chairman of the OPC Board of Trustees, Olawale Oshun, stressed the urgent need for constitutional reform, urging the government to listen to the widespread demands for restructuring among other critical issues affecting the country.