The
present National Publicity Secretary of ‘Afenifere’,
Mr. Yinka Odumakin is a misnomer for the Yoruba
Socio-Political Organization with the position he
holds. His anti-clockwise thinking will cause
further rifts and division in an association that is
supposed to be progressive and needs all hands on
deck to make an impact. The former Governor of Oyo
State, Alhaji Lam Adesina erred in his submission on
the membership of the Executive Governor of Ogun
State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel as a bona-fide-member of
Afenifere; as reported on page 18, Saturday Sun,
January 19, 2008. Alhaji Lam Adesina does not know
Afenifere members from Lagos State and Ogun State;
the ignorance he displayed in his comments. In terms
of closeness to Papa Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Ayo
Adebanjo was the closest to Papa and his immediate
family. He actually has a room at Ikenne house of
the late Sage. It was Chief Ayo Adebanjo who started
coordinating the affairs of Awo’s associates that
metamorphosed into Afenifere immediately after the
demise of Papa Awolowo. So, only Chief Ayo Adebanjo
can authoritatively talk about Afenifere’s
membership especially those from Lagos State at the
time and Otunba Gbenga Daniel enrolled from Lagos
State. This writer is aware of this fact.
Afenifere was started with Love and there was great
unity among members at the initial stage. One of the
earliest coordinator of Afenifere, Chief Ayo
Adebanjo will confirm this as he got involved all
the Yorubas’ that believe in Papa Awolowo. Papa
Obafemi Awolowo was the founder and leader of the
Action Group (AG) and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
AG and UPN were Political Parties that operated in
the first and second republics of Nigeria
respectively. These two political parties were
socialist oriented and were largely committed to the
growth and development of popular democracy in
Nigeria. Most members of Afenifere belonged to one
or the two political parties. There are some members
that were not really political but shared Awo’s
vision. This writer was a member of Afenifere;
firstly as a Yoruba, secondly as a member of Unity
Party of Nigeria and thirdly as an elected member of
Federal House of Representatives on the platform of
UPN. I was the only female member of Awo’s burial
Committee set up by Awo’s Associates when Papa Awo
died. Members of Afenifere at that time shared Awo’s
visionary stance on democracy.
The activities of the Awo’s associates after the
death of the Sage can not be said to be in total
conformity with the sage’s vision. It is painful and
very pathetic that rancor and division became the
bane of Awo Political Family. This existed since the
leader’s demise in 1987 and still unabated with the
likes of Odumakin. The division degenerated to a
notorious level on Sunday, December 23, 2001 when a
distinguished leader and member of Awo Political
Family, Uncle Bole Ige was murdered by despicable
people right inside his bedroom at Ibadan and up
till now his attackers are yet unknown.
The likes of Yinka Odumakin is causing further
rancor and division in his claim that those of us
now in PDP can not or are not Afenifere. It is
really lamentable that Awo’s supporters have turned
their backs against themselves instead of forging a
common stand to uplift Awo’s legacies. The bane of
the Afenifere has been unhealthy rivalry; trying to
undo each other. Most of us in PDP today left the
fold as a result of this unhealthy rivalry and
lackluster attitude of the so-called leaders. We
went to PDP with our progressive ideas; when the
Yoruba leaders had no agenda for the progress of the
Yorubas. Since Papa Awolowo’s death, there has been
lack of vision in the Awolowo political family (The
Afenifere) which has been riddled with quarrels,
backbiting and festering sores. The unhealthy
rivalry between groups that emerged killed the
genuine love in Afenifere. While some members were
meeting at Ikenne to keep Awo myth alive; others
were meeting at Chief Ajasin’s house to counter the
Ikenne meeting. Chief Ebenezer Babatope’s clarion
call to members to rally round YeyeOba H.I.D Awolowo
fell on deaf ears and was misconstrued. The call was
found offensive by those whose ambition was to step
in Awo’s shoes.
I am not out to castigate anyone but only to put in
proper perspective the origin of the crisis of
leadership that has engulfed the membership of
Afenifere. Some of us stopped attending Afenifere’s
meetings because no good thing can come out of it
except bitterness, quarrels and hatred. You can see
these traits in action within members of AD and AC.
Jealousy is like an acid and when not controlled, it
can burn, destroy and maim. An individual overtaken
with Jealousy can not think properly and will never
see any good from an object of envy. The truth must
be told at all times, not only when in vogue but God
demands truth. The paid advertorial of Yinka
Odumakin published in Saturday Sun, December 29,
2007 and the interview published on Page A2,
Saturday Punch, January 12, 2008 were total
disservice to Afenifere and the Yoruba Race.
Odumakin’s vituperations are unwarranted. He is like
a mourner crying more than the bereaved. I can also
describe him as a priest being holier than Jesus
Christ (If that is possible); we all know this is
impossible. Odumakin and the so called defenders of
Afenifere today are nothing but opportunists who are
reaping where they did not sow. How can any sane Awo
follower cast aspersion on the likes of Otunba
‘Gbenga Daniel. Maybe people like Odumakin are
becoming senile to have the audacity to refer to
members of Afenifere in PDP as Synthetic.
I have known Otunba Gbenga Daniel for some years and
I am yet to meet a more committed Yoruba to the
Yoruba Agenda/Project as envisioned by Papa Obafemi
Awolowo. Like Papa Awo, Gbenga Daniel is hardworking
and is been driven with the desire to serve God and
humanity. In comparison to some Yoruba leaders who
are self-centred and only pay lip service to the
Yoruba project. Otunba Gbenga Daniel has done more
for the Yorubas’ especially in Ogun state than the
past AD Governors. I do not know the type of service
Yinka Odumakin has rendered to humanity but his
writings and utterances are total disservice to the
Yoruba race and can be viewed from the angle of a
man in a warpath with himself and the rest of Yoruba
race. We all know how Afenifere started and those
who were charter members (if I can use that term).
Yinka Odumakin was not part of it then or probably
an assistant to a member. I do not know him and I
know Gbenga Daniel. Maybe Yinka Odumakin needs to
ask Chief Ayo Opadokun for proper briefing on
historical Afenifere. This writer is well known to
Chief Ayo Opadokun and I am sure his views on Gbenga
Daniel will be totally different from the one
painted by Yinka Odumakin. With the likes of
Odumakin and Alhaji Lam Adesina, it is clearly seen
why AD is in crisis and AC is on wobbly legs. No
amount of castigation can change the truth. The
truth like an acid will tear away every fabric of
falsehood. The truth is that some of us in PDP today
are nobler and in tune with Papa Awo’s vision than
the pretenders.
Hon. (Mrs.) Tomi Soboyejo
