On Wednesday, Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba sociopolitical organization, voided the office of the group’s acting leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.
This came as the organisation renewed its proposal for the establishment of state police amid escalating insecurity in the country.
Afenifere, which appointed Adebanjo as the group’s interim leader in 2022, said that the position had been abolished and founded a new group called the Afenifere Elders Caucus, with Adebanjo as a member and Fasoranti as leader.
This was stated in a communique issued following the group’s monthly meeting, which was conducted on Wednesday at the apartment of its National Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti. The message was read by the group’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi.
The communique read,
“In the light of recent events and the pressing need to reposition and rejuvenate Afenifere, it has been decided that the position of Acting Leader and Deputy Leader have now been abrogated.
“The responsibilities and authority of advising the Leader of Afenifere and Asiwaju Yoruba are now vested in the Afenifere Elders Caucus, which is hereby constituted.”
According to the communique, Fasoranti is the Chairman of the Eelders Caucus while the members of the group include Adebanjo, Oba Olu Falae, Senator Cornelius Adebayo, Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Archbishop Prince Ayo Ladigbolu, Lt. Gen Alani, Akinrinade (retd), Maj. Gen. Olu Bajowa (retd), Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Prof Banji Akintoye, among others.
At the meeting, the group also expressed its displeasure over the state of the nation with particular reference to the socio-economic and security situations in the country, saying it was time to restructure the country as a means towards a new lease of life and a better Nigeria.
“There is an urgent need to rework the security architecture of the country to ensure that Nigerians are able to live and move about without the fear of being kidnapped or harassed in any way. Such reworking should include giving states and local government councils that so desire to establish their own police services with all the requisite powers to function as such. Doing so would check if not totally stop, the incidences of kidnapping and sundry banditry now ravaging the land.
“The unfortunate blast in Ibadan clearly underscores the need to allow the federating units in the country to control mineral resources in their respective areas with particular reference to mining and exploration.
“The reasoning behind this was that had it been that states were in control of mining, for instance, the Oyo State Government was likely to know how explosives were being moved around. Such would have prevented last week’s horrendous blast that claimed many lives, traumatised hundreds of people and destroyed properties running into billions of naira. “
While reiterating that it was time to restructure the country, the Afenifere urged President Bola Tinubu to set the machinery in motion for the purpose.
“The organisation (Afenifere) took note of the fact that the President, a known democrat and federalist, would not hesitate to do things that will quicken the country’s quest for true federalism in which people would have self-determination within the context of one nation that is genuinely democratic and federal,” it said.