A pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, the Defense Yoruba People’s Right (DYPR) has issued a-24-hour ultimatum to the acting leader of Afenifere Pa Ayo Adebanjo to resign his position and give peace a chance to reign in the organization.
Similarly, the Youruba group also stressed the needs for the restructuring of Afenifere, saying the development would enable the socio-cultural group to further contribute more to the development of the Yoruba race and the country at large.
The DYPR in a statement signed by its National President and the Secretary, Otunba Muyideen Olamoyegun and Comrade Bolawa Akindolie respectively, passed a vote of no-confidence in Afenifere’s acting leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and advised him to ‘kindly step aside in the interest of the organisation and the Yoruba race in general.
The statement entitled: “A no-confidence vote is passed in Adebanjo, and he should stop parading as leader/acting leader” also condemned the recent and purported suspension of two national officers of Afenifere by Pa Adebanjo without consulting and approval from other leaders.
The group particularly described the stand and action of Adebanjo especially on the just concluded 2023 general elections as not in accordance with the opinion of the Yoruba race.
“We note that rather than rally the Yoruba behind their son, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, now president-elect, Adebanjo campaigned against him, and even after Tinubu’s victory, he still wants the presidency out of Yorubaland.
“We note that Adebanjo is not leader of Afenifere, but acting leader authorised by Fasoranti. We make bold to say that making Adebanjo acting leader is in line with the precedence to history.
The DYPR said “Adebanjo has deviated from the values and philosophy of the Yoruba race and should step aside as acting leader, we only recorgnises Pa Reuben Fasoranti as the leader of the Yoruba race.
“We implored leaders and other members all Yoruba groups to queue behind Pa Fasoranti, whom we regard as the leader of the Yoruba race, any pronouncement from him on issues relating to the development of Yoruba race remained final.
“Previous leaders of Afenifere like Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin and Abraham Adesanya, and present leader, Reuben Fasoranti, have sustained the philosophy of the organization, since it was formed 72 years ago.
“These leaders always voiced to defend and promote the interest of Yoruba people, we are ready to sustained this philosophy. It is worthy of note that these leaders worked to make Afenifere an influential voice respected in and outside Nigeria, and indeed the arrowhead of struggles to build Nigeria into a better, true and balanced federation, with justice and equity.
Pa Adebanjo has derailed from this philosophy as soon he assumed the acting leader, especially since he abandoned the pursuit and defence of the Yoruba people.
“But to our dismay, and contrary to tradition and history, Adebanjo has been projecting himself as leader. Not only that, from all notes compared with history, he has not been working in accordance with the ethics and virtues of Afenifere.
“Despite the free and fair presidential election, the best to be credible since inception of democracy in the country, we challenge him to provide us with reasons for attacking the winner of the election.
