Afenifere Appoints Olu Falae as Chairman, Expresses Worries of Rising Insecurity

Goddy Egene 

The Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, yesterday   appointed   former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),  Oba Olu Falae, as the chairman of the National Executive Committee(NEC).

Falae, who is the Olu of Ilu- Abo in Akure North Council Area of Ondo state,  was appointed at the group’s  monthly meeting held at the country home of its national leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure.

Rising from the meeting, Afenifere  also  insisted  that restructuring is the best way to solve Nigeria’s problems and expressed worries over insecurity, amongst other challenges facing the country.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting,  National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, said that the appointment of Oba Falae was made by  Pa Fasoranti.

According to Ajayi,  the appointment of Oba  Falae was to ” reposition the Pan Yoruba social political organisation.

He said: ”Oba Falae’s appointment is meant to reinvigorate the organisation with a view to ensuring that the House of Oduduwa is back on track to project the Yoruba mandate.

“The new Chairman, Oba Falae, is a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), among other important offices he has held.”

In a communiqué  issued after the meeting, Afenifere said: “The meeting 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.”

“We are therefore calling on the federal government under President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to set the machinery in motion to restructure the country as a matter of urgency.”

“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 security situation in the country is getting more worrisome. 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 Adegboyigiwa, the All Progressive Congress chairman in Ondo state, 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 ransom was collected.”

Reports of violent attacks on communities and settlements continue to occur especially in the Benue, Plateau, Nassarawa States and in some other parts of the North.”

” In the 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.”

“While we take note of the reports by  the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on inflation, we wish to emphasise that food inflation and transport costs are still very burdensome.

“We therefore implore the federal government to take urgent actions to ease the situation.

“Afenifere took note of the good intention of the federal government on the initiative for the National Forestry Guards, but the organisation is of the opinion that the implementation should be by the States as part of the decentralisation of security architecture.

“Afenifere thanked the President for releasing fund for the rehabilitation of Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa Expressway.

The meeting was attended by Members from the Yoruba States that made up Afenifere, including Kogi and Kwara States as well as Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and Chief Tokunbo Ajasin.

Reacting to his  appointment, Oba Falae promised to unite all the factions in Afenifere.

Falae  thanked  Pa Fasoranti for appointing him, saying:   ” By the grace of God and with the support of Afenifere and the Yoruba nation, we’ll succeed in bringing the other groups, everybody together.  I intend to do all I can to bring all factions of Afenifere together in Papa’s lifetime.”