Fasoranti remains Afenifere leader not Adebanjo – Secretary

The Organising Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere,  Chief Kole Omololu, said on Tuesday that the organisation has no other leader besides Chief Reuben Fasoranti.

Speaking with The PUNCH, in a telephone interview, Omololu said, “We don’t have any other leader from inception. Our leader from the beginning to date are the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin, the late Chief Abraham Adesanya and our current leader is Chief Reuben Fasoranti.”

His comment came on the heels of a meeting held by the erstwhile acting leader of the group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, on Tuesday in Isanya Ogbo in the Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting held in Adebanjo’s home town read: “At the general meeting and the highest organ of the Afenifere, the meeting reiterated that Afenifere is a socio-political organisation based on the Awolowo’s school of thought.

“The membership of the organisation is clear and determined; it is not a socio-cultural of the Yoruba. The meeting therefore appreciated the untiring leadership of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, as the leader and Oba Oladipupo Olaitan as Deputy Leader of Afenifere.

“It ceases to be Egbe Omo Oduduwa since 1951 and has 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 Afenifere retains its ethos. 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.

“The general meeting passed vote of confidence on Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Oba Oladipupo Olaitan and Leader and Deputy Leader respectively.”

Those who attended the meeting included Oba Oladipupo Olaitan, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Senator Adegbenga Kaka, Chief Sola Ebiseni, Dele Farounbi, Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo, Alade Rotimi-John, among others.

The meeting and its resolution were believed to be in response to the one held last week Wednesday at the residence of  Pa Reuben Fasoranti in Ondo State.

A communique issued at the end of last week’s meeting by Afenifere’s Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr Jare Ajayi, said the group had scraped  the office of the acting leader, being occupied by Adebanjo since 2022.

Afenifere also said it formed another group named Afenifere Elders Caucus, with Adebanjo a member and Fasoranti as leader.

The communique read, “In the light of recent events and the pressing need to reposition and rejuvenate Afenifere, it has been decided that the position of Acting  Leader and Deputy Leader have now been abrogated.

“The responsibilities and authority of advising the Leader of Afenifere and Asiwaju Yoruba are now vested in the Afenifere Elders Caucus, which is hereby constituted.”

According to the communique, Fasoranti is the Chairman of the Eelders Caucus while the members of the group include Adebanjo, Oba Olu Falae, Senator Cornelius Adebayo, Senator Femi Okunrounmu,  Basorun Seinde Arogbofa,  Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele,  Archbishop Prince Ayo Ladigbolu, Lt. Gen Alani, Akinrinade (retd),  Maj. Gen. Olu Bajowa (retd), Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Prof Banji Akintoye, among others.