Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, has appointed Oba Olu Falae, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), as Chairman of its National Executive Committee NEC).
The appointment was announced after a caucus meeting held at the Akure residence of the group’s leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.
Attendees included prominent Yoruba leaders such as former Ondo State governor Olusegun Mimiko and Chief Tokunbo Ajasin.
In a communiqué read by Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, the group said Falae’s appointment is aimed at repositioning the organisation to better project the Yoruba agenda.
“The move is to reinvigorate the organisation and ensure that the House of Oduduwa is back on track,” Ajayi said.
The group used the occasion to demand urgent restructuring of the Nigerian federation, urging President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to act without delay.
Afenifere also decried worsening insecurity across the country, citing recent abductions and killings in Kogi and Ondo states as examples.
The group reiterated its long-standing call for the establishment of state police.
“Bandits are now bold enough to abduct people from their homes. Insecurity appears to be growing due to complicity at political, military, and community levels,” the group warned.
While acknowledging President Tinubu’s efforts, particularly the release of funds for the rehabilitation of the Ibadan–Ife–Ilesa expressway, Afenifere maintained that initiatives like the National Forestry Guards should be implemented by states as part of a decentralized security strategy.
In his acceptance remarks, Falae pledged to reunite all factions of Afenifere under one umbrella.
“With the experience I had in reconciling the two ruling houses in Akure, I believe we can unite Afenifere once again—even in Papa Fasoranti’s lifetime,” he said.
