The Aare On a Kakanfo of Yorubaland and leader of the Odua Peoples Congress, Are Gani Adams, has said that it has lost up to 2,500 members in the past 25 years of its existence.
The loss of the people he described as martyrs is part of the huge prices that, he said, the OPC had paid.
Adams said this in ;Lagos on Thursday when the group and its allies marked its 25th anniversary.
At the event were Pa Ayo Adebanjo, a member of NADECO; spokesman of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin; his wife, Joe Okei Odumakin,; Comrade Femi Aborishade and a professor of Political Science Tunde Babawale.
Adams told the gathering that the aim of the OPC, which bordered on the emancipation of Yorubaland, had not been realized.
As a result, he added, the Congress was seriously considering going into partisan politics.
He said: “Without mincing words, let me say categorically that the next few months will determine whether we will remain politically neutral or partisan.
“Do not forget that what gave birth to OPC was struggle for the revalidation of June 12, 1993 election.
“From there, we went to demand for the total restructuring of the country.
“The most recent irreducible for those who have followed this restructuring is for government to implement the recommendations of the National Conference convened by administration of Goodluck Jonathan.
“It is in light of this that I say that in the next few months, if there is no tangible evidence that this country will be restructured, then OPC will become partisan.
“We are still keeping the details to our chest. However, with a membership of over 6 million, even if its members of the legislature at the federal and state levels that we are able to produce, we will be in position to influence what happens in government at all levels. Time for ‘siddon look ‘ is over.’
Adams, who also bemoaned the increased wave in kidnapping and ritual killings across the Southwest, expressed confidence that the six million standing army of OPC is up to the task.
Nonetheless, Adams said the group would continue to use its cultural mileage to negotiate on behalf of the Yoruba, adding that it might then end up adopting militancy as the last option should all entreaties fail.
He expressed happiness that OPC has grown in leaps and bounds with Oodua Progressive Union as an offshoot and presence in 87 countries to protect the interest of Yoruba in diaspora.
