Yoruba’s socio-political group, known as Afenifere, has reiterated that it has never been indifferent or passive in the Nigerian political landscape.
Speaking at a public symposium titled “Afenifere: Identity, Ideas and Ideology” held on Thursday at the MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos State, Afenifere chieftain, Sola Ebiseni, emphasised that Afenifere had always taken principled stands on national issues — especially on matters of justice, equity, and federalism.
According to Ebiseni, “It was a defining moment for Afenifere to determine where we stood, especially when a Yoruba personality like President Bola Tinubu was contesting. Yet, Afenifere chose to support a candidate of Igbo extraction because we believed it was the right thing to do. That was not an easy decision — it took the leadership and conviction of a man like Chief Ayo Adebanjo to bring everyone on board.”
He added, “To us, Nigeria is a country of entrenched ethnic nationalities. What is best suited for this nation is a return to true federalism. That has always been our stand.”
Addressing the perception that Afenifere is a socio-political group and not a political party, Ebiseni said, “People say Afenifere is not a political party. But to Baba Ayo Adebanjo, Afenifere is as political as it gets. Why isn’t it registered as a party? Because of the nature of the constitution and the stringent requirements by INEC. Baba will always tell you: Afenifere is political. It has never been non-partisan. We’ve taken positions —whether supporting Atiku Abubakar or Goodluck Jonathan at different times.”
He stated, “What’s important to Afenifere is simple: If you agree to restructure Nigeria and return to true federalism, we will support you.”
Ebiseni gave insight into a pivotal meeting of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, held on May 31, 2021, at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.
The gathering, chaired by the late Chief Edwin Clark, with late Chief Ayo Adebanjo as his deputy, included leaders such as late Ambassador George Obiozor (then President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo) and Dr. Bitrus Pogu (Middle Belt Forum).
The outcome of that meeting was clear: the next president of Nigeria should come from the South.
“A key resolution was that no Southern politician should accept the role of national chairman or vice-presidential candidate in any party. That was to preserve the South’s claim to the presidency,” Ebiseni said.
Following that, the conversation shifted to which part of the South should produce the next president.
Ebiseni noted that for 14 months, starting with a paper presented by Professor Okoromu on July 29, 2021, at Chief Adebanjo’s residence in Sanya-Ogbo, Afenifere engaged in deep deliberation.
“Peter Obi hadn’t even declared at the time. Yet, we debated thoroughly. Afenifere is made up of individuals from diverse political backgrounds, but once a decision is made, everyone is bound by it. That is the Yoruba way,” he said.
He recalled that on September 26, 2022, Afenifere held a press conference in Lagos, where Chief Ayo Adebanjo officially announced the group’s support for a Southeast presidency.
“We argued that if power must rotate from the North to the South, then the South-East, which has never produced a president, is the most equitable choice. We examined history: Obasanjo had represented the Southwest, Jonathan the South-South. Logically and morally, it was the Southeast’s turn,” Ebiseni explained.
He recounted the backlash Afenifere faced: “We were insulted. They called us names like ‘Ọmọ Alè’. Some even claimed that Baba’s mother was Igbo, or that Obasanjo’s father was from the East. Those were distractions. Baba remained steadfast.”
To underscore the principled history of Yoruba leadership, Ebiseni shared an anecdote Baba Adebanjo often cited from the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) days.
“When a decision was to be made between Ernest Okoli and Akinsanya for an Assembly seat, Chief Obafemi Awolowo supported Okoli—an Easterner from present-day Bayelsa State—despite him being older and less known. That sense of justice and equity led to the formation of the Action Group,” he said.
“Baba told us: Now is our time to act as Awolowo did. If equity favors the Southeast, then Afenifere must stand with them, no matter the opposition. And we did,” he added.
Ebiseni also narrated his own role in articulating Afenifere’s position.
“I was sent to the former Governor of Osun State. I arrived at 8am and left at 1:30am the next morning. But by the end of the conversation, he saw the reason in our position. Many others were sent out on similar missions.”
He added “These efforts were made for the purpose of one Nigeria—built on fairness, justice, and federalism.”
Also speaking as a keynote speaker at the event, legal luminary Solomon Asemota delivered a thought-provoking address, reflecting on Nigeria’s political journey and the underlying issues that have hindered national progress.
He said, “In my paper, I have made certain recommendations because I was one of those who once supported the idea of new breed politicians. I even played a role in reviewing drafts of the constitution. But there was something fundamentally wrong with the foundation of that process.
“If you take a gun into a man’s house, threaten him, force him to surrender, and then take everything he owns, your reasoning is based on violence and blood. You cannot then turn around and claim to administer justice to that same person whom you have dispossessed.”
Asemota stated, “The mindset becomes one of domination — you begin to see yourself as master, and others as slaves. So when soldiers told us they would help usher in a new generation of Nigerian leaders, what they ended up doing was producing a generation of ‘new breed’ Nigerians who think like soldiers—authoritarian, hierarchical, and domineering.
“I am not an economist, but I am sure that economists will tell you that the way we run our affairs in this country is deeply flawed. Our system is riddled with corruption because the foundation was corrupt. Corruption is bleeding this nation dry.”
Asemota also shared a personal anecdote from his days as a police officer under the colonial administration.
“I was recruited as an Inspector under the colonial police service. I graduated from college in Ikeja in 1959. At the time of independence, I was stationed at the airport, helping to receive guests and assign vehicles to them. I remember clearly—by 10:20 p.m., we closed the airport and returned to Keso, where I lived.
“I witnessed the independence celebrations—how the Union Jack was lowered and the Nigerian flag was raised. It was a beautiful and symbolic moment.”
He said, “But today, I sit back and ask myself: was this what Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe fought for? Was this what Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Sardauna of Sokoto fought for? Is this what our independence has become?
Asemota explained that a fundamental truth is this: “One issue cannot be right and wrong at the same time. That’s what a coup d’état does. When a coup is successful, it is glorified. The killings are overlooked, and the perpetrators are honored. There is something deeply wrong with this logic.”
He noted that he was not calling for retroactive punishment, but for a national reckoning.
“I am not saying we should round up everyone who participated in coups and prosecute them. No. On the contrary, I believe they should come forward, admit their wrongdoings, and ask the nation for forgiveness. That would be a path toward healing.”
“And finally, I plead with those in authority—release Nnamdi Kanu. What do you gain from holding him? Let us seek dialogue and justice, not revenge.”
