Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere has warned President Muhammadu Buhari and others in positions of authority in Nigeria to take immediate steps to ensure the restructuring of the country if they wish to stop the current move by sections of the country to secede.
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the Acting Leader of the organization gave the warning while paying tribute to Comrade Yinka Odumakin at his funeral ceremony held at Origbo Anglican Grammar School, Moro, Osun State.
Pa Adebanjo and Afenifere have been major proponents of restructuring which they considered as the only way to ensure that the country known as Nigeria does not break.
The Yoruba leader alluded to the response of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to the agitation by Mr. Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho) for a Yoruba nation.
“When Governor Akeredolu said that Ondo State is not for secession, I am in complete agreement with him because we are also not for secession. What we are advocating, what we stand for presently, is for a total restructuring of the country. Restructuring is to consolidate Nigeria and not to break it. The more those in authority delay restructuring, the more they are encouraging secession.”
He was, however, quick to add that the country is presently in a critical state, “very close to the precipice and the only way to save the situation is to restructure it genuinely and without further delay”.
Surrounded by Afenifere chieftains from all the states in Yorubaland, led by the Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Adebanjo said that although Odumakin was like a grandson, he decided to come to his funeral against tradition because of how much the deceased meant to Afenifere.
Chief Adebanjo, a renowned Awoist, declared that those who can, should tell President Muhammadu Buhari that the country is on fire but he can quench the fire by quickly setting the machinery in motion for a genuine restructuring.
The Afenifere Leader also debunked the notion that the Yorubas are asking Fulanis to leave their land.
“We are certainly not asking the Fulanis among us to leave. Those we are asking to leave are those among them who engage in various acts of banditry like kidnapping, raping of our women, killing, preventing our farmers from cultivating their farms by grazing on their farms and so on.”
He went further to say that not only should the bandits be apprehended, they should be made to face justice and pay dearly for their crimes.
Apart from assuring the Odumakin family of Afenifere’s support, Adebanjo commended Governors of Yoruba states for standing firm. He urged them not to relent on what will make Nigeria to survive which for now is restructuring.
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