Afenifere Reaffirms Commitment To Awolowo’s Welfarist Ideal

Afenifere, a socio-political and economic organisation, has reaffirmed its commitment to the welfarist ideals of its founder, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

An Afenifere Chieftain, Wale Balogun during an interview on Tuesday, described the group led by Pa Reuben Fasoranti as “shadow-chasing dissidents” who have abandoned the principles of social welfarism.

According to Balogun, Afenifere was built around Awolowo’s cardinal programmes of free education, free healthcare, rural electrification and development, and life more abundant for all.

“Afenifere, as a sociopolitical and economic organisation, is as old as the Action Group (AG), the political party founded by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and his associates in 1951. From inception, the party had a national outlook, though its core membership was drawn largely from the defunct Ẹgbẹ Ọmọ Odùduwà.

“The leadership of the Action Group translated its vision into what became known as Afenifere, built around Awolowo’s cardinal programmes of free education, free healthcare, rural electrification and development, and life more abundant for all. Supporters and the Yoruba electorate affectionately referred to the party as Ẹgbẹ ọlọpẹ, “the palm frond group”, after the palm frond logo of the party.

“Contrary to distorted narratives, the Action Group/Afenifere was never a tribal party. Among its notable non-Yoruba members were Pa Anthony Enahoro, Ernest Okoli, Samuel Ikoku and others. It was the deliberate distortion and falsification of historical facts by political detractors that falsely painted the AG/Afenifere as an ethnic Yoruba organisation. In reality, the Action Group was a welfarist party, whose ideology of social democracy was formally adopted at its Jos Convention of 1962,” he said.

Balogun stated that the group has remained true to these ideals, supporting an Igbo presidential candidate in the last election as a matter of fairness and equity.

“The renewed attempt to polarise Afenifere began when the group, in line with its long-standing advocacy for justice, fairness, and equity, supported an Igbo presidential candidate, arguing that it was the turn of the Southeast (Ndigbo) to produce Nigeria’s president,” he said.

Balogun accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of attempting to undermine Afenifere’s unity and polarise the group adding that his visit to Akure, the home of Pa Fasoranti, was seen as an attempt to secure endorsement or sow division within the Yoruba political fold.

He noted that however, that Afenifere, under the leadership of Oba Oladipo Olaitan, has remained steadfast in its commitment to Awolowo’s philosophy.

He described the Pa Fasoranti’s faction as impostors who have abandoned the true welfarist spirit of Afenifere.

Balogun emphasised that Afenifere will continue to uphold the principles of social democracy and welfarism, as championed by Awolowo, noting that the group will not be swayed by attempts to distort its history or undermine its unity.

He reiterated that Afenifere is alive and well, with Oba Olaitan as its legitimate leader adding that any other group claiming to represent Afenifere is merely a band of pretenders and dissidents.

“Today, the Awoist philosophy remains alive and steadfast under the legitimate leadership of Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the National Leader of Afenifere. Any other group parading itself as Afenifere is nothing but a band of pretenders and impostors, shadow-chasing dissidents estranged from the true welfarist spirit of Awolowo’s Afenifere,” he said.