Oodua Peoples Congress

The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) is a Yoruba nationalist organization in Nigeria. The Yoruba people, who live in the southwestern part of Nigeria, and in neighbouring countries such as Benin, are a large ethno-linguistic group; the majority of them speak the Yoruba language (ede Yorùbá). The Yoruba constitute approximately 35 percent of Nigeria's total population,[1] and around 50 million people throughout the region of West Africa.

It is also known as the Oodua Liberation Movement (OLM) or the Revolutionary Council of Nigeria (RCN)[2]

History

The Oodua Peoples Congress was formed when a group of Yoruba elite, including Frederick Fasehun, decided to form an organization to actualize the annulled mandate of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, a Yoruba who won the presidential election of 12 June 1993 but was barred from office.[3]

Although the founding president of the OPC was Fasehun, in 1999 a faction led by Ganiyu Adams broke off from the main organization, but continued usage of the main party's name is led by Ganiyu Adams. Adams and Fasehun are widely held by the Yoruba to be the leaders of the OPC. In December 1999, the newly formed Arewa People's Congress said it would begin full self-defence training for northern residents in reaction to attacks on Hausas by the OPC.[4]

References

  1. ↑ CIA World Factbook
  2. ↑ "O'odua Peoples Congress (OPC)", globalsecurity.org, 16 February 2003.
  3. ↑ Tunde Babawale, "THE RISE OF ETHNIC MILITIAS, DE-LEGITIMISATION OF THE STATE, AND THE THREAT TO NIGERIAN FEDERALISM", West Africa Review (2001).
  4. ↑ "IRIN-WA Update 618 [19991218]". UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Integrated Regional Information Network. 1999-12-18. Retrieved 2010-04-02.

External links

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