The Oodua Progressive Union has donated millions of naira to the South West States – Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti – and Kwara and Kogi States to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
The fund was directly deposited into each state’s COVID-19 Committees’ accounts.
The financial intervention followed OPU members’ resolution at the end of Ekiti World Congress.
It was resolved at the event that there should be regular support from Yoruba sons and daughters based abroad whenever there is need to.
According to the Global Convener of the Union and Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, the donation is to be given to those that are directly affected by the pandemic for their drugs, treatment and food.
The donation was from the contribution of individual members all over the world.
OPU is a non-governmental, non religious organisation established to foster unity among the Yoruba race and provide a formidable platform for all Yoruba sons and daughters in the diaspora for the purpose of working for the common interest of the people.
“It is very important that all of us, as an international group, help the less privileged and remember millions of our people that are staying at home at this moment because of Corona Virus, and most especially those that are sick due to the virus,” Iba Adams added.
The Chairman of OPU’s COVID-19 Fund Raising Committee, Comrade Larry Aderoju, stated that helping the victims at this critical time is important as history would not forget those that have deemed it fit to help in whatever little way they could.
Aderoju added that the financial intervention has become urgent having taken into consideration the gradual spread and the increase in the number of people that have contacted the disease in Nigeria and the South West States in particular.
While explaining further on the future intervention of OPU when the need arises, the organisation’s Worldwide Publicity Secretary, Comrade Zacheaus Somorin, said having spread across the world in terms of quality membership, it is expected that Yoruba sons and daughters in diaspora would always rise to the occasion.
