Pa Adebanjo is Alive, Afenifere Declares

Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has dismissed rumour that Chief Ayo Adebanjo, was dead.

National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, made the clarification in a statement issued yesterday, insisting that the elder statesman was alive.
Late Saturday evening, an rumour had it that one of the last of Awoists and veritable  patriot, Adebanjo, had passed.
But Ajayi said: “By Sunday morning, the rumour had grown wings, thus raising serious concerns among members of Afenifere and followers of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo among others.

“We are hereby categorically stating that Pa Ayo Adebanjo is still very much with us  – to the glory of the Almighty God.”
He added that members of Afenifere were trusting in the Lord that, “our leaders would still be around with us for long so that they can provide proper direction.
“Pa Adebanjo was 96 year in April this year, 2024, following in the footstep of the leader,  Chief Reuben Fasoranti, who clocked 98 on May 11 this same 2024.
“There was the insinuation that the source of Pa Adebanjo’s purported death might be the passing away of a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Ayo Banjo.

“As can be seen, the two men not only shared first names, Ayo, their second names are also similar. One is Adebanjo while the other is Banjo. Incidentally, both of them are of Ijebu extraction.”

Ajayi, who explained that it was the former Unibadan  VC, who joined the ancestors on Friday, urged members of the public to ignore the news of the purported death of Adebanjo.