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General News of Monday, 2 August 2021

Source: guardian.ng

Yoruba elders chide group calling for proscription of Afenifere, others

Yoruba elders Yoruba elders

The Yoruba elders, under the aegis of Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), yesterday, berated a northern group for calling for the proscription of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere.

The coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) had asked Federal Government to immediately proscribe Afenifere and other cultural tribal organisations undermining peace, security and peaceful co-existence of the country as terrorists.

The CNG, in a statement, at the weekend in Abuja, by its spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said individuals as Adebanjo and others associated with such groups or organisations that incite others to violence or openly support acts of terror and terrorist movement should be arrested and decisively dealt with by the authorities.

But speaking with The Guardian, the YCE Secretary-General, Dr. Kunle Olajide, described the northern group as jokers. Olajide said Afenifere remains most patriotic socio-political organisation in the country.

“They are jokers. Who are they? Who are these people? What is their antecedent? They should be ignored. We should not dignify them. For records, Afenifere is the most patriotic socio-political organisation in Nigeria. It is not an ethnic organisation. It has been calling for true federalism. It has been at the forefront of the call for each region and ethnic group to maximise its potential. It is uncharitable to call for proscription of Afenifere. I think those jokers calling for such should be ignored and not dignified with response,” he said.