FOR THE RECORDS ; OTUNBA GANI ADAMS' SPEECH AT THE OPU LAUNCH IN FRANCE

SPEECH DELIEVERED BY OTUNBA (DR.) GANI ADAMS AT THE FORMAL LAUNCHING OF OODUA PROGRESSIVES UNION (FRANCE CHAPTER) ON FRIDAY 5TH OF DECEMBER 2014, AT 17 BOULEVARD DE LA LIBERATION 93200, ST. DENIS, PARIS FRANCE
I welcome you all to this epoch-making event. Today marks a turning-point in the annals of Yoruba nation, as we gather here to witness a rebirth of our age-long cultural uniqueness, socio-intellectual assets, amazing civilization and uncommon unity.

The formal launching of Oodua People’s Union (OPU) in France should be seen as a unique opportunity for all of us to stand up and be counted as a partaker in the development of our fatherland.
You will all agree with me that today’s event should mark a turning-point in the history of your sojourn in France, particularly with reference to the rebirth of our age-long cultural uniqueness, socio-intellectual assets, amazing civilization and uncommon unity, all of which have combined to make us the envy of all other people in Nigeria and the world in general.
Commendation
However, before I continue, I would love to pause here to commend all of you for this great and historic task of organizing this launching. I tell you that your efforts will never be forgotten in the history of Yorubaland.
I also want to remind you of the beautiful attitude of the Yoruba man as a good host and perfect organizer.
By this, I want to challenge you to at all times ensure that whenever you endeavour to organize an event like this, you make the comfort of your guests a priority and give them an experience that would want to make them come back with beautiful memories.
Birth of OPU
It is clear from all indications that today, the Yoruba nation is gradually losing those attributes that once made us the envy of all.
Since the passing onto glory of late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Yoruba people have been in search of another purposeful leader that will direct the affairs of our people and lead us to the promise land without luck.
It is a shame that a nation that was once known to occupy the front seat in the scheme of things in the country is gradually taking the back seat in the schemes of things.
It is no longer a secret that we are gradually losing those attributes that make us great as a people.
The formation of the OPU is a culmination of the determination of some positive-minded fellows among the Yoruba race to ensure that there is a generational platform for Yoruba sons and daughters, wherever they may be, to rekindle those spirits that made us stand out among others in the past.
Why we need OPU
France has a long history of cordial relationship with Africans. Therefore, the formation of the OPU is significant in two ways:
First, it will serve as a platform for all Yoruba sons and daughters in France to contribute their own quotas to the development of our fatherland.
In others words, from today, Yoruba people all over the world will hope to tap from the abundance human resources available in all of you, hoping that you would collectively rise in the defence of any Yoruba son or daughter who may your assistance.
After all, there is a saying in Yoruba land that “Agbaj’owo Lafi n soya. Ajoji owo kan ko gberu dori”, which literally translates into ‘united we stand divided we fall’.
Yorubaland in the past
The Yoruba nation is abundantly endowed with enough human and natural resources that are capable of taking it to the highest level of human existence.
If you cast your mind back to the period when Nigeria was divided into regions, the Western Region was the apple of the nation’s eyes.
Our leaders were the envy of other regions with programmes and projects that sought to put Yorubaland at par with other developed nations of the world.
Leaders like late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Michael Adekunle Ajasin, Ladoke Akintola, Bola Ige, Pa Anthony Enahoro and several others worked very hard to register the name of our fatherland on world map.
The Western Region recorded ‘firsts’ in all spheres of developments, we had the first Radio Station; the first stadium and the first television station in Africa.
This was at a time when other African countries were still struggling to cope with modern day life.
As far back as that time, the Western Region was significantly self-reliant. In fact, everything was working well.
There was free education for our children and there were many opportunities for human capacity development.
Our agricultural produce, particularly Cocoa was popular all over the world.
The Oodua Investment Company was formed to harness our natural resources.
Several agricultural settlements where farmers lived and worked were created by government.
So the Western Region, the land of Oodua led while others followed. The Western Region that was a ‘shining star’ for others to follow is no more.
Despite the partitioning in the name of state creation, I make bold to say that if we can really retrace our steps, excavate our history, which was cast in unity and very rich cultural heritage, we can bring back the lost Glory.
And there is no doubt that the giant in us will still roar again.
Challenge for the OPU
This is the task before us as true sons and daughters of legendary Oodua in the face of the many uncertainties in the contemporary world.
We should remember that a man could remain indomitable in a group, but he may not be invincible in isolation. So we have to start to speak with one voice.
The challenge is now on you to ensure that our land is returned back to its place of pride.
A place, where other nations of the world will look up to us as the leader that we were and that we shall ever remain.
The launching of the OPU in France is therefore the opportunity that you all need to begin to remember the son and daughters of whom you are.
Let us from this moment begin to think of how we want to develop Yorubaland.
Let us from now on begin to think of what we want to contribute to the development of Yorbaland.
Oodua Research centre
Therefore, I want to challenge all of you to come together and ensure that the OPU registers its presence in all European countries.
We can start this with the building of Oodua Research Centre in Ile-ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race.
The research centre will be stocked with historical and cultural materials of our race. The centre will also serve as a resource centre to assist students and researchers who may be doing one research work or the other on our race.
Aside from this, it will also serve as a resource centre to ensure that our history is preserved for children yet unborn.
I would like to remind us of the words of our fathers- ‘Omo to ba so le nu, o s’apo iya ko’. I pray that no evil shall befall anyone among us. Gbogbo wa la ma k’ere oko dele.
We must unite
Tribalism has continued to assume an alarming dimension in the modern world.
And in recent time, religious bigotry seems to have joined. Fortunately for us as Yoruba and in Yoruba Land, we are too civilized to indulge in all of these shameful conducts.
You may be Ijebu, Oyo, Egba, Ekiti, Ondo or Egbado, all of us are bonded together by one progenitor.
We are all the children of the great Oduduwa, Therefore, we should be seen to be together as one people at all times.
It is only in Yoruba land that you can see members of the same family practice different religions and yet they still live in peace and harmony, eat from the same plate and pursue family interest without any sign of religious difference.
Today, I want to say that the step towards that needed unity, the spirit of brotherhood that will catapult the Yoruba nation to its rightful place of pride has begun with the launch of the OPU in France.
Importance of tourism to development
Countries all over the world have started to diversify their economies. There is no single nation across the world that bases its economy on one source of income.
Among the huge money earners for countries is tourism. This perhaps is the reason that countries now make efforts to develop their tourism potentials.
Tourism plays a very important role in the economic life of France. In 2013 alone, France attracted 84.7 million foreign tourists, making it the most popular tourist destination in the world. In 2012, tourism contributed about EUR77.7 billion to the French GDP. Tourism also contributed 9.7 percent of the country’s GDP and created about 2.9 million jobs (10.9 percent of the country’s workforce).
France has 37 heritage sites inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. But perhaps the most interesting thing about France is that it features cities with high culture interest.
Among the tourists attraction is the Disneyland in Paris. Available records show that it attracts an annual 16 million visitors. Other tourists’ attractions in France include Louvre, which attracts 9.5 million tourists; Chateau de Versailles- 7-3 million tourists; the Eiffel Tower- 6.3 million tourists and the Georges Pompidou centre and museum of art, which attracts 3.6 million visitors.
These are just a few of the many tourists’ attractions in France, which on annual basis contribute millions of hard currencies to the economy of the country.
We too can replicate this tourism success back in Nigeria. Our land is filled with countless numbers of tourists’ attractions that can be turned into hard currency earners if we put the right machineries in place.
The popular Idanre Hills, made famous by Professor Wole Soyinka in his book, the Olumo rock and the Ikogosi spring, a beautiful wonder given to us by God are a few of the many tourist attractions in our land that can be developed into world standard.
As a matter of fact, our land is replete with several tourists’ attraction waiting to be explored.
Now, the challenge is on all of you to put your experience in France into use. You should try and find out what they have done to make their tourism industry successful.
With your efforts, we can achieve great things back home and turn all these goldmines waiting to be explored into money spinners.
Be good ambassadors of Yorubaland
France has and has continued to maintain a very good relationship with its former African colonies.
Its old policy of maintaining brotherly association with those countries has remained solid till this day.
I will therefore use this opportunity to urge you to continue to be good ambassadors of the Yoruba race in France.
I want you to continue to make sure that the French people have good reports to give about you whenever they need to give one.
You should continue to display the culture of Omoluabi, with which you we were all brought up by our forefathers.
In all your actions and deeds, let it be said about you that the Yoruba man is a good ambassador of Nigeria.
You will recall that the modern state of Israel was created in 1948; three years after the Second World War.
It was a child of circumstance occasioned by the untold suffering and massacre the Jews suffered in the hands of Adolf Hitler who was hell bent on controlling the world.
After that traumatic experience, the surviving Jews quickly retraced their history when they had the opportunity and the result is the current viable and dynamic state of Israel.
Today, the country is a super power in its own right. It is powerful militarily, economically, scientifically, agriculturally and in almost other aspects of human endeavors.
The major lesson in this story for us as a people is that it is never too late for us to retrace our steps and work together to make Yorubaland great once again. Like Israel, the Yoruba nation can do the same if we can emphasize and make that five-letter word, UNITY, our watch word.
Difference between OPU and OPC
I also want to seize this opportunity to throw some light into the difference between the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and Oodua Progressive Union (OPU).
The two organizations are distinct both in structure and ideology.
While the OPC was formed at a critical period in the history of Nigeria.
When there was the need for the Yoruba race to free itself from military subjugation, the OPU is formed to create a platform for all Yoruba sons and daughters in the Diaspora to come together and join hands to promote the cultural heritage of our race.
So, while the OPC was formed for the struggle for the emancipation of our race, the OPU, on the other hand is a socio-cultural group seeking to further the gains our sons and daughters in the Diaspora have made in self-actualization and the to come together as one.
As I speak, some of us still don’t know the amount of work the OPC did during the struggle to free our people from the hands of military dictators.
Thanks to the OPC, our people can now freely do business in the Mile 12 market in Lagos without any molestation from anybody.
Our farmers can go to their farms without any fear that somebody would bring his cows to destroy his farm.
The truth is that the OPC did well to free our people from modern day subjugation.
But one important lesson to draw from the struggle is that O.P.C is one of the group that won the battle for the democracy that all Nigerians are enjoying today.
But more importantly, the battle was fought by Yoruba sons and daughters, and some progressive Nigeria.
It was we, mostly members of the OPC that spilled our blood, lost our limbs and paid grave prices for today’s democracy in Nigeria.
In fact I make bold to say that the Yoruba in Diaspora have performed many feats towards the liberation of our father land and there is no doubt that you can do more for your fatherland.
Oodua House in France
At this juncture, let me tell you that it has become imperative for you to ensure that you build an Oodua House in France.
The House will serve as a platform for all of you to meet for all your engagements.
Aside from serving as the commonwealth building for all of you, the House can also generate funds for the organization, as it will house several departments that will also show the world that the Yoruba race is indeed unique.
THE WAY FORWARD
The Western Region that was a ‘shining star’ for others to follow is no more.
Despite the partitioning in the name of state creation, I make bold to say that if we can really retrace our steps, excavate our history, which was cast in unity and very rich cultural heritage, we can bring back the lost glory.
And there is no doubt that the giant in us will still roar again.
This is the task before us as true sons and daughters of legendary Oodua in the face of the many uncertainties in the contemporary world.
We should remember that a man could remain indomitable in a group, but he may not be invincible in isolation. So we have to start to speak with one voice.
Of course, I know that it will gladden your hearts to know that OPU now exists in 52 countries outside Nigeria, and we are determined to expand it to any part of the world.
So the time has come for us to think, rethink, start and walk as one indivisible entity.
The time is more crucial now than before so that our own generation will bequeath enduring legacies for our children.
Oodua A Gbe Gbogbo wa o.
Otunba (Dr.) Gani Adams
National Coordinator Oodua People’s Congress
Worldwide Leader, Oodua Progressive Union,
Chief Promoter Olokun Festival Foundation