… Says appointment will bring ‘House of Oduduwa’ back on track.

… Urges FG to allow states to implement national forest guards initiatives.

… ‘Food inflation, transportation costs burdensome for Nigerians’

… Expresses concern over the country’s security situation.

The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has appointed the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the monarch of Ilu Abo in Akure North Local Council Area of Ondo State, Oba Olu Falae, as the Chairman of the association’s National Executive Committee.

During the caucus meeting held at the residence of the national leader of the group, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the organisation emphasised that Falae’s role, which will not conflict with that of Fasoranti, will further stimulate the growth of the Yoruba apex group.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the frontline Yoruba group, Jare Ajayi, who read the communiqué after the meeting, considering the security concerns in the country, the federal government and the National Assembly must set the machinery in motion to restructure the country as a matter of urgency.

While emphasising that food inflation and transport costs are still burdensome for Nigerians, the foremost Yoruba group implored the federal government to take urgent actions to ease the situation.

Afenifere also advised the Tinubu-led federal government to allow the state governments to implement the national forest guards initiative as part of the decentralisation of security architecture.

The communiqué read, “As usual, the meeting deliberated on issues pertinent to the organisation itself, Afenifere, the Yorubas and the Nigerian nation. Specific issues discussed included the security situation in the country, economy, education, agriculture and health.

“The meeting resolved that in order to reposition the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, properly, The Leader, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, OFR, appointed Oba Olu Falae, CFR, GCON, as Chairman of the National Executive Committee of Afenifere.

“The meeting, as indicated earlier on, considered various challenges confronting the nation currently. Since we have subjected these issues to rigorous interrogations severally, we have come to the conclusion that the most potent means of tackling the challenges is restructuring.

“As we congratulate the present administration for clocking two years in office, we urge it to make restructuring one of the major policies in its third year in office.

The group further stressed that “bandits are, in certain situations, so emboldened that they even go into people’s homes to abduct them, as happened to Oba James Ogunyanda Ilufemiloye, the Obalohun of Okoloke in Kogi State. Mr Nelson Adegboyigi was similarly abducted right in front of his house in Ifon, Ose local government area of Ondo State, earlier this month. He was eventually killed even after the ransom was collected.

“Reports of violent attacks on communities and settlements continue to occur, especially in the Benue, Plateau, and Nassarawa States and in some other parts of the North.
In light of the foregoing, Afenifere is reiterating its longstanding advocacy for the immediate take-off of state police.

“Here, note is taken of various insinuations that insecurity is becoming endemic because of the complicity at the political, military and community levels.

“Afenifere, at the meeting, heartily congratulated President Bola Tinubu as his administration clocks two years in office. It expressed the hope that the administration will use the remaining period of its tenure to more effectively address issues that are bothering Nigerians.”

Meanwhile, the National Organising Secretary of the association, Abagun Kole Omololu, stated that Falae’s appointment will reinvigorate the organisation with a view to ensure that the “House of Oduduwa is back on track to project the Yoruba Mandate.”