Afenifere moves to unite Adebanjo, Fasoranti

The Pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has disclosed plan to reconcile two factional leaders of the organization, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and PaReuben Fasoranti.

Governor 'Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who attended the meeting, told journalists after the closed-door engagement that the meeting centered around reconciling the two factional leaders of Afenifere.

While details of the closed-door meeting were not disclosed to journalists, it was gathered that it centered around the unity of the Yoruba nation and Afenifere as an organization.

Appealing to the two leaders to sheath their swords, Makinde noted that politics had come and gone and the unity of the Yoruba race should be paramount to every concerned leaders of the organization.

It would be recalled that both Afenifere leaders, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Pa Reuben Fasoranti, held opposite positions as to who succeeds the immediate-past President of Muhammadu Buhari prior to the 2023 presidential election.

While Pa Ayo Adebanjo held that it was the turn of the Southeast to produce the next president in the spirit of equity fairness and justice, Pa Fasoranti threw his weight behind the candidacy of former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu being a Yoruba man.

Consequently, Pa Adebanjo supported the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last presidential election, Peter Obi, while Pa Fasoranti supported the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

In his words, Makinde said: "Well we’re all aware of the issues between our two leaders, and leaders of Afenifere, Baba Ayo Adebanjo and Pa Reuben Fasoranti."

"Partisan issues, elections have come and gone and now we’re talking about the unity of the Yoruba race."

"And these frontline leaders of Afenifere, thought it fit to come together and start the process of seeking for unity in Yorubaland."

"Starting with our two leaders to make sure that they come together and we know tht once they come together we will also have the desired unity in Yorubaland."

"And if you out it in proper perspective, whenever Yorubaland is united, Nigeria is united and whenever you have issues and challenges in Yorubaland, it usually spiral into other parts of Nigeria so, this is to demonstrate my support for the steps that are being taken and also to let them know that I’m committed to unity in Yorubaland."

While advising followers of the two prominent Afenifere leaders, the governor also said: "Once you tie the knots at the appropriate places, every other thing will fall in place."

"Once they see the two Babas come together, we won’t even need to appeal to the people because at that time, you won’t have to talk much, people would have seen that the two leaders are now back together," Makinde stressed.