By Ayodele Popoola
The Pan Yoruba Socio-Cultural Group, Afenifere has called on all states governors in the South West to improve regional cooperation and enhance the standard of living of the people.
The group also reaffirmed its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration.
They called on all well-meaning Nigerians to support the government in the onerous task of resuscitating the nation’s economy and improving the quality of life of all citizens.
Afenifere said it has taken rejuvenating steps that would sustain and enhance the adroitly position of the organization for the tasks ahead.
These were parts of the resolutions of the group contained in a communique issued at the end of its monthly meeting, held at the residence of its National Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure.
The group applauded the ruling of the Presidential Elections Panel Tribunal which affirmed the victory of Tinubu at the February 25, presidential election.
Afenifere said the industry, erudition, and attention of the judges to details as reflected in the 738-page judgment was commendable.
It remarked that the judgment has enriched Nigeria’s jurisprudence on law and adjudication of electoral disputes.
The communique stated, “after carefully reviewing the present situation on social, economic, security, and political situation in Nigeria, particularly in Yorubaland, Afenifere called on all the state governors in the zone to improve regional cooperation to enhance the standard of living of our people.
“The meeting observed that the Development Agenda for the South West of Nigeria (DAWN) and the Yoruba Agenda launched in Ibadan in 2017 provides a roadmap that the state governments can use to transform Yorubaland.
Speaking on insecurity and banditry in the country, the group called on the Federal Government and security agencies to be more decisive and more proactive.
“Four approaches are hereby recommended for immediate consideration and action, immediate deployment of anti-terrorism devices and proper motivation of security personnel, Immediate engagement of local leaders in areas where insecurity is rife.
“Reports have it that leaders in those areas are somehow complicit how bandits succeed in their nefarious activities, deliberate efforts be made to get the youth gainfully engaged to make them unavailable for anti-social and inhuman activities while cases of banditry and terrorism be discharged expeditiously,” it reads
The group further commended the Federal Government’s plan to unify various forms of official identification processes in the country.
It also reiterated the need to employ the use of the Biometric System in the planned census exercise because of the belief that it would considerably reduce the avalanche of anomalies usually associated with head-counting exercises in the past.
Reaffirming its position that Afenifere remained an Ideological Movement, the communique called on former president Olusegun Obasanjo to tender an unreserved public apology to Yoruba Obas for disrespecting them at a public function.
“We, Yorubas respect our traditional institutions, the arrowhead of which, are our traditional rulers, who, traditionally and spiritually, have acquired the status of deities. It’s not surprising that they are referred to as ‘Igbakeji Orisa’!
“Our tradition describes who we are. As such, no effort must be spared to prevent the rubishing of our noble tradition. In that wise, it’s hereby recommended that Royal Fathers are spared the trouble of standing up at public functions as obtained in the United Kingdom among others.
” To ensure the survival of Yoruba language as the most important element of Yoruba culture, Yoruba should be the medium of instruction from Primary One to Three. It must be offered as one of the compulsory subjects in the school certificate examinations.
“Afenifere appealed to the government and labour leaders to engage more in consultation to quickly resolve the issues surrounding the fuel subsidy removal and the attendant difficulties Nigerians are facing,” the communique added.