Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere has rejected the announcement of Oba Oladipo Olaitan as its acting leader, saying Chief Reuben Fasoranti remains the authentic leader.
The group’s spokesman, Jare Ajayi on Wednesday said there is no leadership vacuum in the organisation, urging members to be loyal to the Yoruba tradition.
Ajayi noted the error of appointing an acting leader, Oladipo Olaitan, in succession to the deceased acting leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, by few members without the consent of Fasoranti.
He said: “It is a known fact that the National Leader of Afenifere, Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, is still very much around. He is not only hale and hearty, he is adroitly providing the requisite leadership, to the glory of God. In a situation where there is no vacuum, how do you talk of filling a vacancy that does not exist?”
Alluding to the Yoruba saying: ‘Bi oba kan ko ku, omiran kii je’ (A king is not appointed when the incumbent is still very much on the stool), Ajayi added: “Pa Fasoranti who is the Leader of Afenifere and Asiwaju of the Yorubas is actively performing as such.”
Ajayi said Afenifere has a procedure for appointing its leader, adding that “the manner in which the one announced on Tuesday was done is alien to Afenifere tradition.”
He said the organization is still mourning the demise of one of its highly respected leaders, Adebanjo, stressing that Afenifere’s focus at the moment is how to organise a befitting burial for thd erstwhile acting leader.
