August 4, 2013 by LEKE BAIYEWU
Femi Okurounmu
| credits: File copy
| credits: File copy
A former Secretary-General of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Senator Femi Okurounmu, has accused a former governor of Lagos State and leader of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu, of polarising the group for political reasons.
Besides, he said the Yoruba Unity Forum was created to serve as another unifying body for the Yoruba in the comity of regions in the country.
Okurounmu, who spoke in an interview with our correspondent on Friday, noted that Afenifere was in “several factions and groups.”
Okurounmu said, “The old Afenifere you used to know; the Afenifere that fought (late military dictator) Gen. Sani Abacha under the leadership of the late Pa Abraham Adesanya, was split by Bola Tinubu and co; that Afenifere was broken up by Tinubu and his group.
“Tinubu and a group of former governors of the Alliance of Democracy broke away from Afenifere that had Chiefs Ayo Adebanjo, Olanihun Ajayi and others. That was the beginning of the split of Afenifere.
“And then, they organised a group of young men called the Afenifere Renewal Group to counter the old Afenifere. It was a rebel group that was sponsored and funded by the Tinubu people. Now, they too have fallen apart. The Afenifere that we used to know is in pieces now.”
Although he said the YUF was not to replace Afenifere, the new body, according to him, represents the general interest of people in the South-West.
“YUF is now the voice of the Yoruba and we meet in Ikenne (Ogun State) under the leadership of Chief HID Awolowo and retired Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi. YUF is now the authentic voice of the Yoruba,” he stated.
He noted that YUF encompassed all Yoruba pressure groups and bodies, including the Afenifere factions.
He explained that after five years of efforts to reconcile the Afenifere factions, the YUF was formed to serve as the umbrella forum for the Yoruba. He added that the forum was not political, “unlike Afenifere, which is political.”
Third Republic Minister of Transport and member, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, had in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, also described the Yoruba Unity Forum as the unifying body speaking for the Yoruba.
He said “If you ask me about the Afenifere led by Chief Awolowo, of course, I can assure you that we still meet. And when we meet under the aegis of Yoruba Unity Forum, we discuss issues that affect the affairs of the Yoruba people and Nigeria. I only said Afenifere is slightly political.
“The YUF is not a political organisation; it is an organisation that embraces all political parties in Nigeria. The Afenifere you’re talking about is the Afenifere political group, which is headed by Pa (Reuben) Fasoranti. I am not a member of that group.”
Efforts to reach Tinubu on Friday and Saturday for his reaction were not successful, as his media aide, Mr. Sunday Dare’s telephone line was switched off.
Also, he did not respond to a text message sent by our correspondent.
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