• Urges Osun Governor To Caution Monarch
The Afenifere United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) chapters have frowned at the appointment of Oba Oladipo Olaitan as the acting leader of the group by the followers of late Chief Ayo Adebanjo.
In a statement by Durojaiye Akindutire, the chairman of Afenifere in the U.S., and Babatunde Shianab, the UK chairman of the group, emphasised that Pa Reuben Fasoranti remains the authentic leader of the organisation.
The followers of the late Ayo Adebanjo, an Afenifere chieftain, had in a statement by Chief Olusola Ebiseni and Justice Faloye announced Oba Olaitan as acting leader, while his status as substantive leader will be rectified after the burial of Adebanjo.
According to Akindutire and Shianaba, “Afenifere remains a structured and principled organisation under the leadership of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, a revered elder statesman whose wisdom and steadfast guidance continue to shape the destiny of the Yoruba people.”
The duo added: “It is wholly against Yoruba culture and values for younger individuals to belittle elders or seek to usurp the authority of well-established leaders. Those parading themselves as representatives of a so-called faction of Afenifere are nothing more than political opportunists and self-serving power traders.
“If they wish to establish a separate entity, they are at liberty to do so, but they must desist from exploiting Afenifere’s revered name to further their personal ambitions.
“Afenifere has always been a movement dedicated to the welfare of the Yoruba people within Nigeria, advocating for justice, equity, and good governance. The very notion that a faction could claim to represent Afenifere while acting in direct contradiction to its founding principles is patently absurd.
“We urge such individuals to educate themselves on the rich and noble history of Afenifere rather than engage in reckless political manoeuvring. As the Yoruba adage wisely states, treachery never ends well.
“We call on Governor Ademola Adeleke to caution Oba Oladipo Olaitan against meddling in Afenifere’s affairs in a manner that is both divisive and destructive. Traditional rulers are expected to serve as custodians of peace and unity, not as instruments of discord within respected socio-political structures.
“It is beneath the dignity of an Oba to allow himself to be manipulated as a pawn in efforts to destabilise an organisation that has tirelessly championed the cause of Yoruba progress. It is preposterous that a fourth-class Oba from a remote hamlet in Ijesha land, Alaago-Kajola, would harbour ambitions of leading Afenifere and, by extension, the Yoruba people.”
“We urge our esteemed leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, to cease tolerating the disruptive antics of Oba Olaitan and to expel him summarily from Afenifere. His actions have made it abundantly clear that he harbours no genuine commitment to the organisation’s ideals.”
