The Europe chapter of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU) at the weekend restated the need to use Yoruba language as a tool to foster unity and development.

The Diaspora group, presently very active in 96 countries in the world, gave the charge during the 7th edition of its European Summit, which held via online Webinar, with over 800 participants from across the world.

The summit, held for over four hours uninterruptedly, had in attendance two prominent professors, including Professor Raheem Kolawole,an environmentalist, from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana and Professor Duro Adeleke,from Department of Foreign Languages, University of Ibadan,as guests lecturers,as well as several other social, economic and political analysts.

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, and the global convener of OPU, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams,in his remarks,said the summit has been the rallying point for international discourse,adding that all members of the organization have, in the last seven years, benefitted immensely from the global forum,which, he said, had also helped in shaping the thoughts, ideas and values of the organization.

The Yoruba generalissimo stated further that OPU has developed an enduring blueprints for projecting the developmental agenda of the Yoruba race.

He expressed hope that such blueprints would take care of the future exigencies and challenges of the race.

Adams also insisted that key decisions would be made during the summit,that would also formed part of the recommendations needed for the developmental agenda for all members across the 28 countries in Europe and the southwest in particular.

“OPU is driven by the only desire to promote Yoruba cultural identity and strive for the progress of our race. Over the last ten years,our organization has been spreading its tentacles, and now it is in 96 countries of the world. And we have made remarkable progress in the area of mobilization, as well as building strong ties among all members”

Aare Adams appealed to all members, especially, in Europe to justify their individual strengths and potentials by bringing into the fold reputable members that are ready to share in the dreams of the diaspora organization.

He said: “At the end of this meeting, I believe this year summit would be able to proffer lasting solutions to most of the problems, especially, in health economy, education,and agric sectors among others.

“This gathering would also raise the hope of the Yoruba nation, assuring them about the prospects of a bright and rewarding future, especially, for the youths”

Earlier in his opening remarks,OPU European Coordinator, Chief Victor Mobolaji Adewale,who is also the Akingbayi Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, expressed hope that the 2021 edition of the Summit would broker peace and broaden the knowledge base of all members and participants.

He, however, pointed out that the COVID-19 global health issues and challenges of last year really affected the world economy.

“COVID-19 created a big lacuna in the life of every country,but the most important thing is that the world has adjusted and still working towards full recovery from the global threats”.

“Today, we have come together as one big family to assess the past years, and formulate worthy ideas that will lead us to a greater future.

“From the theme of the summit, tagged “Setting Developmental Agenda for Yorubaland”, it showed that idea of setting a new, lasting developmental agenda for our race came as an immediate response to recover the loss ground and project the big picture of the OPU dream to the world. And I am sure it would be an amazing experience to be part of this annual summit,” he said.

Meanwhile, Professor Raheem in his speech spoke about unity and the need to develop a plan that would enhance organizational management and boost the morale among all groups in Yorubaland and in diaspora.

He said the major challenges of every Yoruba organization is lack of unity and cohesiveness,including backbiting, adding that such could be tackled with a broad based approach to ensure that there is unity and progress within the various organizations in Yorubaland

Professor Duro Adeleke, while lamenting the ugly trend by which the Yoruba language was going, urged the Southwest Governors to save the language from going into extinction.

He charged the leaders as well as other language promoters to use the language as a tool to foster unity, and development across all sectors.

His words, “Yoruba Language is a potential tool for solving problems, especially,in education, health, economy and politics among others”

“For instance,in university of Ibadan foreign ambassadors from United States of America, Britain, Europe and Canada come to learn about Yoruba language.They have even gone beyond the language, they also learn about Ifa as a deity”.

“This is a wonderful development, however, it is a wake up call to all and sundry that Yoruba language must not go into extinction”

“Our governors in the southwest must make the Yoruba language compulsory, especially, for students admission into the universities.

In the 28 countries of Europe, their languages remain the first and next to none, that is the secret of their growth and development”,

“We can only get it right in the south west, if we rededicate ourselves to the promotion of Yoruba language. The language should remain the official language in both private and public institutions”, he explained.