Afenifere vows to continue agitation for restructuring

Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere Renewal Group, has said that it will continue to agitate for the restructuring of Nigeria’s governance architecture.

The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kunle Famoriyo, expressed the group’s belief that “all parts of the country stand to benefit from a properly restructured Nigeria in spite of whatever fears are harboured by the different nationality groups.”

In a communique at the end of the group’s 2019 retreat which ended in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Sunday and signed by Famoriyo, ARG also “called on all governments in the South-West to make policies that would promote Yoruba identity, values, orientation and economic prosperity.”

“We demand that the acceptable Yoruba socio-political leadership is one that protects the social welfare interests and values of our people. We, therefore, look forward to appropriate reforms in the leadership structure. It is trite that when political leadership is wrong, beneficial socio-economic and infrastructural policies are always the casualty,” the communique read in part.

ARG, while stating its readiness to provide a platform to encourage greater political participation, called on all stakeholders to begin early advocacy for the implementation of relevant electoral and legislative reforms before the next general elections.

According to the communique, the group also “advocated full implementation of electronic voting and a clean-up of voters register. This must be done before the next general elections.”

“ARG recognises the importance of the Yoruba in diaspora in the transfer of progressive knowledge and processes in their countries of residence to Yoruba homelands. This critical demography can help us achieve a lot of progress if they get involved in the political processes right from their different bases, while also offering their technical expertise towards improving the socio-political and economic landscape of the Yoruba homelands,” the ARG said.