Says one faction unyielding, saw us as intruders
The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), yesterday, lamented the imbroglio within the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, saying that it had tried five times to broker peace among the leaders but one of the factions was unyielding.
In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Oladipo Oyewole, YCE said it had held four meetings in Ogun State and one in Ondo State to resolve the matter but all to no avail.
Oyewole said that a side of the parties looked at YCE as intruders and the side tactfully kept the Yoruba elders at bay until the leadership was sacked last week.
He said that the body needed to be stabilised, adding that the step was a diplomatic in-house restructuring.
Meanwhile, the group has passed a vote of confidence on Ayo Adebanjo and Oladipupo Olaitan as leader and deputy leader respectively of the organisation.
In a communique jointly signed by Pa Ayo Adebanjo and the publicity secretary of the Organization Majaji Gboyega Adejumo and made available to journalist after the meeting the organizatio disclosed that the membership of the organization is clear and determined adding that it is not a socio-cultural of the Yoruba but reiterated that Afenifere is a socio-political organization base on the Awolowo’s school of thought.
“It seizes to be Egbe Omo OOduduwa since 1951 and as since assumed the status of a political party; Action Group and not withstanding the shenanigans of the military in purporting ban of the organization as a political party.
The communique further state that highest organ the organization appreciated the untiring leadership of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, as the leader and Oba Oladipupo Olaitan as Deputy Leader of Afenifere.
The meeting further said they received the report of the Southern and Middle Belt leaders forum to the government and people of Plateau State and Middle belt in solidarity on the massacres in several parts of Plateau state on the eve of Christmas, 2023 with the delegation led by Chief Ayo Adebanjo of Afenifere, who doubles as the Deputy Leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, [SMBLF] resolved on the need for a new constitution based on true federalism as the minimum, using the report of the 2014 National Conference as the minimum template.
On the Ibadan explosion, Afenifere delegation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo state, led by the Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipupo Olaitan also stated its emphasized the fact that the pseudo-federal constitution imposed on Nigeria by the military was responsible for a situation where the explosives were brought and used in states without regulations of the state government.
“The governor intimated Afenifere of the modest contribution of the Amotekun to South West security network the security of the state and Afenifere agreed with the effectiveness and efficacy of the Amotekun and urged all the governors of the South West to fully equip Amotekun in a greater proportion than the weaponry available to deal with terrorists now rampaging our territory”.
Its further noted that Afenifere incensed by the report in the media of the incursion of terrorism into the Yorubaland, the latest been the gruesome murder of two traditional rulers in Ekiti, Afenifere called of the people of Nigeria and Yorubaland in particular to rise up to in their own defense, emphasizing that no action is illegitimate in self-defense
However the meeting was informed of the appointment of Mr. Alade Rotimi-John, as Deputy Secretary General and Prince Justice Faloye, as Deputy Publicity Secretary of the organization.
Among those present meeting were Deputy leader,Oba Oladipupo Olaitan, Senator Femi Okunirunmu, Chief Sola Ebiseeni who is the Secretary General ,Sentor Gbenga Kaka, Chief supo Shonibare and Mojaji Gboyega Adejumo.
