Falae Dismisses Afenifere Split Rumours, Says No Succession Talks Before Fasoranti’s Burial

Chairman of the National Executive Committee of Afenifere, Oba Olu Falae, has dismissed reports and rumours circulating about an impending split in the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation following the death of its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

Falae, in a chat with LEADERSHIP yesterday, described reports of disagreements over Fasoranti’s successor and plans to establish a breakaway group as speculation and fake news.

There have been reports of moves by a faction of the organisation to consolidate its leadership under Oba Oladipo Olaitan, a development that has reportedly generated opposition from other members.

Some chieftains were reported to have considered forming a new group, Afenifere Independent, amid disagreements over the organisation’s leadership.

Reacting to the reports, Falae said Afenifere was not discussing succession, insisting that doing so before the burial of its late leader would be contrary to Yoruba tradition.

He further told LEADERSHIP that the organisation’s immediate concern was to give Fasoranti a befitting burial.

He said, “The tradition in Yorubaland and in Afenifere, as an authentic Yoruba organisation, is that when an Oba, a chief or a leader passes on, you don’t even talk about his successor until he has been buried.

‎”Baba Fasoranti is still in the mortuary. No genuine Afenifere people will be talking about who succeeds him. We are not on that wavelength at all.”

‎The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation said committees involving the government, Afenifere and Fasoranti’s children were being constituted to coordinate the burial arrangements.

‎He maintained that the burial was the only matter Afenifere was currently handling, warning that anyone discussing succession at this stage was not acting in the organisation’s interest.

‎”Anybody who is talking about succession at this point in time cannot be an Afenifere member. That is the truth of it,” he said.

‎Falae, however, expressed confidence that a new leader would emerge after Fasoranti’s burial, explaining that Afenifere leaders were not elected through campaigns or contested positions.

‎According to him, a leader’s emergence traditionally becomes apparent through the collective recognition and acceptance by members.

‎He cited previous leadership transitions in the organisation, recalling that following the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Adekunle Ajasin emerged as leader and was accepted by prominent political figures, including Jakande and Olabisi Onabanjo.

‎He added that Senator Abraham Adesanya emerged after Ajasin’s death, while Fasoranti was subsequently identified as Adesanya’s successor when the latter became ill.

‎Falae said the same tradition would guide the emergence of Fasoranti’s successor, insisting that there would be no contest for the position.