The warring leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, have been urged to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign in the interest of the Yoruba ethnic group.
The former national publicity secretary of the organisation and former two-term member of the House of Representatives, Hon Babatunde Oduyoye, who statde this in Ibadan yesterday, called on the leadership of the Afenifere, now divided along the Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Pa Ayo Adebanjo factions, to put the interest of the Yoruba first at this moment in history.
Oduyoye, who also served as the minority whip of the House of Representatives during his tenure in the chamber, spoke against the backdrop of the disagreements within Afenifere over various issues, especially the ambition and eventual victory of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the February 25 presidential election.
He said it was saddening that leaders, who should be the moral compass of the Yoruba nation, were allowing division in their ranks, warning all sides to cease fire until a common ground could be reached on the issues.
Oduyoye equally called on well-meaning Yoruba elders, traditional rulers and men of reason to wade into the crisis, noting that if allowed to fester, it would end up consuming the organisation and eventually affect the Yoruba nation.
According to him, the evil intentions of the enemies of the Yoruba ethnic group, who have always tried to bring down Afenifere over the years, would materialise unless well-meaning Yoruba leaders rally round to save the organisation.
