Afenifere accuses government of paying lip service to restructuring

A Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has berated the Federal Government for paying lip service to the clamour for true federalism and restructuring of Nigeria.

The prominent Yoruba leaders under the leadership of Chief Reuben Fasoranti, who spoke at a summit organised by Oyo State Chapter of Afenifere in Ibadan yesterday, noted that it is better for the government to harken to the voice of the people and stop the country from drifting to precipice.

They reiterated their stand that the country’s socio-economic situation cannot grow as fast as many Nigerians wanted if the country is not restructured in a manner that will allow each region to develop at its own pace.

Fasoranti, who appealed to all Yoruba sons and daughters to take the progress of the nation seriously, said that the clamour for restructuring, if acceded to, “the menace of several killings across the country would have been better managed by now.”

Also, the state Afenifere Chairman, Dr. Gbola Adetunji, pleaded for cohesion and unity of purpose among Yoruba people.

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Gbade Ojo, sought for the continued existence of Nigeria, and also lent his voice to the clamour for restructuring and return to true federalism.

The retired Archbishop of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Ayo Ladigbolu, who delivered a lecture at the event, entitled “The Yoruba Nation: For better today and tomorrow”, called for immediate restructuring of the country to fast-rack development.

He said: “Having been a beneficiary of regional autonomy in my younger days, and having participated as an observer of regional politics, I still have strong feelings that regional autonomy ought to be returned to the Yoruba nation and other states.”