The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has strongly rebuked former Osun State Governor Bisi Akande for claiming that the group is dead.
In a sharp response, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye, dismissed Akande’s remarks, asserting that the organization is not only alive but also evolving to address contemporary issues.
Akande, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had declared in a recent interview that Afenifere died with the assassination of former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Bola Ige, in 2002.
He stated, “That was the beginning of the crack in Afenifere, but the end came with the death of Bola Ige. The death of Bola Ige was the death of Afenifere. He found it, and he took it away.” When pressed by the interviewer that Afenifere still exists, Akande retorted, “I don’t know, but it is not the Afenifere we formed.”
But Faloye, in a statement titled ‘Afenifere Can Never Die’, countered Akande’s claims, accusing him and others of abandoning the group’s core ideological principles. “Afenifere is not a human being with limited lifecycles, but a universal philosophical essence of justice and egalitarianism that must undergo rebirth to address current generational issues,” Faloye stated. He emphasized that Afenifere’s ideals of “abundance for all” remain relevant, particularly in democratic governance.
The statement traced Afenifere’s history, noting its transformation from a political movement to a socio-cultural group during military rule and its resurgence during democratic transitions. “Afenifere started 71 years ago, but following the coup and military rule, it temporarily became a socio-cultural group since all political agencies were banned under military rule. Once Nigeria returned to democracy in 1979 and 1999, those with social democratic and welfare ideals created political parties to fulfil those egalitarian ideals,” Faloye explained.
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Faloye accused some members, including Akande and President Bola Tinubu, of betraying Afenifere’s ideology for personal gain. “Unfortunately, some of the new entrants like Tinubu never shared the Afenifere ideology but joined the ranks in their quest for power, pretending to be progressive welfarists and social democrats. Upon getting to power in 1999, these pseudo-Afenifere began to show their true character and departed from Afenifere’s ideological position,” he said.
He further criticized the faction led by Tinubu for adopting what he described as “dictatorial neo-liberal economics” instead of the social democratic welfare economics that Afenifere stands for. “They deceitfully replaced Afenifere’s political ideology and identity with a socio-cultural tag of ethnic irredentism to explain away their selfish prebendalism of Awalokan. It is about them and their families converting and sharing our commonwealth, not about empowering and uplifting the common man,” Faloye asserted.
Faloye also highlighted the emergence of a new generation of Afenifere members committed to the group’s founding principles. “As some leave, more informed, knowledgeable, and pro-people younger individuals are rising to push Afenifere’s egalitarian ideals as dictated and empowered by Ayo Adebanjo and Oba Oladipo Olaitan,” he said.
He added that Afenifere continues to evolve under the guidance of elders like Prof. Onigbinde and Shonibare, who were mentored by iconic leaders such as Obafemi Awolowo, Bola Ige, and Baba Adesanya.
Concluding his statement, Faloye declared, “When the likes of Bisi Akande say Afenifere is dead, he is talking about the passion for the people of some in his prebendalist generation dying, not Afenifere, the ideology and political space. Afenifere is currently evolving and being purified to take control of our manifest destiny to uplift the greatest number of people ever. Afenifere, like the world and universe, can’t die but will continue evolving in generational cycles to higher levels of political evolution and existence.”
The fiery rebuttal underscores the ideological rift within Afenifere and reaffirms the group’s commitment to its founding principles, even as it adapts to modern challenges.
