Leaders of the Oodua Progressive
Union(OPU) in Canada have reacted to the viral publications portraying a mass exodus of members in OPU OPU Canada.
Publicity Secretary of the group, Chief Timothy Adeyanju, insisted the story was untrue,saying enemies of the Yoruba socio-cultural group were actually behind the story.
He added that the story was blown out of proportion.
He said, “It is sad that such issue was blown out of proportion.It was a minor issue that revolved around election into the Board of Directors of the Canada chapter. Our former coordinator, Prince Julius Ojo, had planned for an election into such sensitive position of the board of directors without recourse to the rules guiding such procedure
“It was a situation whereby 116 eligible members of the group were to participate in the election and 18 of them were disenfranchised from participating without no reason. The disenfranchised members later wrote a petition to the North American continent executive, which is also the second highest decision making hierarchy in OPU structure alleging Prince Ojo of his failure to hold a free and fair election,and a calculated plot to disenfranchise some of the eligible members in order to foist his loyalists on the organization”
“The North America executive got wind of the imminent crisis,through the petition and wrote a letter seeking proper investigation into the electoral process.They also directed that the election be postponed for a period of one or two weeks for proper investigation into the petition raised by members “
“But Prince Ojo, rather than agreed to the directives and the two letters written by the North American executive and that of the OPU Worldwide Headquarters through the Secretary General,Prince Olanrewaju Sunmonu, ordered his loyalists to ignore the directives, saying the election must be held as planned, even when the Chairman of the Electoral body had resigned”. It was in the midst of this issue that 92 eligible members out the 98 in the plenary platform passed a vote of no confidence in his leadership as the coordinator”
“Various issues were raised about his leadership on the general platform, for over 24-hours before it was put to a vote.And the teeming members passed a vote of no confidence in his leadership,before he voluntary exited himself from the platform”.
“This happened a few minutes to the deadline given to him. The elders and Stakeholders reinstated the dissolved board of directors, while the board also installed the General Secretary to take charge of the organisation structure in acting capacity based on the constitution of the group.
“That was what actually transpired, and the issue had been resolved. At the moment,over 50 new members have been admitted into the group and we are on top of the new development “.
” So the story that OPU Canada had crumbled was a figment of our enemies’ idea, and We knew that a former aide of our global convener, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, that was dismissed two years ago, that is presently residing in Canada, was actually behind the false story,” he said.
” Being the global convener of our formidable group, Aare Gani Adams is always an advocate of peace and very accommodating, nobody had left the organisation and ended up being harmed or threatened. There is freedom of association globally and OPU as a socio cultural group stands for peace and unity of Yoruba people in the Diaspora .
“So, Prince Ojo should stay away from issues that can drag his name to the mud and desist from anything that can soil his image, as a former coordinator of our group, we wish him well in his future endeavours.
Adeyanju further restated the commitment of all members of the group, saying OPU Canada will continue to grow from strength to strength.
.
