Pa Fasoranti bemoans division within Afenifere group

Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the head of the Yoruba socio-political association known as Afenifere, on Wednesday, expressed his displeasure with the group’s recent adverse circumstances.

Fasoranti expressed sadness that the association was in danger due to the present leadership issue and urged swift action to restructure it.

This was said by the elderstatesman during a gathering of the group’s members at his home in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.

Some of the Afenifere chieftains present at the meeting were the immediate past governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, a former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and monarch of Ilu Abo Community, Chief Olu Falae, the former Secretary General of the Afenifere, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, the Organising Secretary of the group, Apagun Omololu, among others.

In his address, Chief Fasoranti said, “A noticeable drift away from our core values of consultation, brotherliness and camaraderie and traditional process of conducting the business of the organization, upon which our collegial system of leadership is based, has been severely threatened.

“This threat has been further exacerbated by more recent events, culminating in a fracture of the traditional backbone of the organization. I am sorry to say, without mincing words, that our organization is in a sorry state and requires urgent restoration effort to steer it away from the current trajectory.

“This wasn’t my vision or expectation when I appointed the acting leader and deputy leader. And to say that I am sad and disappointed at the turn of events is an understatement. I am particularly disturbed because unless, we take urgent remedial action, the future looks very bleak and the necessary resources to revamp our organization are being depleted by the day.”

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To this end, the Afenifere leader urged other chieftains of the group to find a lasting solution to the current impasse in the association

“I implore you to engage franklymand honestly in the spirit of comradeship and mutual respect for which we are well known and upon which this organization is founded. With determination and commitment, I believe you are all able to find a solution that will propel Afenifere to greater heights.”

Jare Ajayi, the group’s publicity secretary, issued and read a statement at the conclusion of the meeting. The resolutions made at the conference were included in the communiqué.

The Afenifere announced in the communiqué that it would form a committee to focus on rapprochement and associational unity.

The communique read, “Afenifere is to be reinvigorated to be stronger and be able to continue to fulfill its mandate of being the vanguard for the Yoruba race. To achieve this, a committee is to be set up to achieve reconciliation and unity.

“The Afenifere is an ideological movement. It is not a political party. Deviation from the basic principles of Afenifere has been responsible for the undesirable turn of events in the last two years.

“Arising from the above, Afenifere is to be brought back to its core values and tradition.”

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