Afenifere Reaffirms Call for Restructuring to Address Nigeria’s Challenges
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF AFENIFERE CAUCUS MEETING HELD AT THE AKURE RESIDENCE OF THE LEADER, PA REUBEN FASORANTI, OFR, ON MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2025.
The pan-Yoruba political organization, Afenifere, on Monday April 7, 2025, held a Caucus meeting in the Akure home of the Leader, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, OFR.
After the opening, the Leader, Pa Fasoranti, welcomed members to the meeting and wished everyone a successful deliberation. He then asked Basorun Seinde Arogbofa OFR to provide over the meeting.
In attendance were representatives from various State Chapters of Afenifere including Kogi and Kwara States.
Deliberations:
As is customary, the meeting deliberated on issues affecting the organization, Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole. Issues discussed included the state of the nation with particular reference to security, agriculture, education, socio-economic and welfare of the people.
The meeting reiterated Afenifere’s conviction that at this juncture, Restructuring is the most potent instrument to tackle the socio-political and economic challenges that have been besetting Nigeria for a long time.
i. The meeting took notice, with serious concerns, of the security situation in the country. Concern was also expressed on the spate of kidnapping and extra-judicial killings taking place in various parts of the country.
Some of the recent instances cited were the resurgence of kidnapping, terrorism and banditry in Yorubaland: Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, Oyo and in other states like Kogi, Plateau, Benue, Anambra, Edo, Nassarawa, Niger, Kaduna, to mention a few.
ii. In view of the desire by the federal government for local governments to have fiscal autonomy as exemplified by the Supreme Court Ruling and the earnestness of the local governments to get their monthly allocations directly, Afenifere enjoined the people at the grassroots to monitor how the allocations coming in are utilized.
The meeting called on State Governors to cooperate with the federal government so that the allocations to local governments can take effect immediately.
After comprehensive deliberations, the meeting then resolved as follow:
1: i. Given the prime of position that security occupies in the the life of any society, Afenifere again called on the Federal Government and Security Agencies to redesign the security architecture in such a way that those in charge of security would be able to dig deeper into its causes and deal with them decisively.
In this wise, we are calling on the National Security Adviser (NSA) , Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to, in collaboration with State Governors, urgently come up with strategies to confront the challenges and put them under control.
ii. While the above is going on, states’ governors, particularly in Yorubaland, should further strengthen the security network in the region because of the upsurge of terrorism in our area.
For instance, Amotekun personnel should be increased, motivated, trained and properly equipped.
Besides, modern technology such as drones etc to tackle insecurity should be deployed.
2. Afenifere is unrelenting in its insistence that State Police should take off immediately.
In the meantime, Afenifere called on State Governors to track unscrupulous herders terrorizing our farmers – including owners of the cows with which they are making lives difficult for our people.
3. In view of the importance of food in any society, states governments in Yorubaland are called upon to pay more serious attention to agriculture. Policy papers on how Farm Settlements were established and run should be revisited and reviewed in line with the present reality for implementation purpose.
This time around, local government councils should be given the mandate and leverage to establish farms in their respective areas.
Farm inputs be made available to the farmers at subsidized rates. In the same vein, food items can be made available to the people at subsidized rates.
4. Afenifere is very persistent on the need to ensure that Yoruba language is used more as a medium of communication. The body specifically called on Governments in Yoruba-speaking states to make Yoruba the medium of teaching at elementary levels of our education: kindergarten/nursery, primary and junior secondary schools. Afenifere also urged Legislatures in Yoruba-speaking states to make Yoruba the language of conducting their legislative businesses as much as possible.
5. In view of the centrality of Restructuring in the resolution of many challenges facing the country, Afenifere is calling on President Bola Tinubu to leverage on his known democratic credential as a federalist by quickening the country’s realization of true federalism as soon as possible.
6. The meeting expressed appreciation to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for acting on some of the items presented to him when The Leader, Chief R F Fasoranti led a delegation to visit The Presidency in April last year.
Among the projects mentioned was Ore-Ondo-Akure road that is now being dualized and that of Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso where reconstruction work is going on.
Pa Fasoranti is particularly appreciative of this gesture and appealed to the federal government to extend actions to other areas needing attention – including Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha Road, as stated in the paper presented to the President.
7. The meeting congratulated His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade on his installation as the 46th Alaafin of Oyo. We pray that his reign will further project Oyo and Yorubaland onto a higher pedestal.
8. The meeting commiserated with the Oyo State Governor, His Excellency, Engr
Oluwaseyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State, on the demise of former Governor Victor Omololu Olunloyo. The meeting prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
Signed:
Comrade Jare Ajayi
National Publicity Secretary, Afenifere.
