The statement highlighted the government’s efforts to usurp the powers of the federating units, the judiciary, and the legislature, as well as the suppression of fundamental freedoms such as freedom of speech and association
By Titilope Adako
A faction of the Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, has raised concerns over what it describes as the “de-structuring of the Nigerian federation” under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The group, which aligns with Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the late leader of the organisation, criticised what it sees as an attack on the nation’s democratic freedoms, asserting that the Tinubu government is undermining the fundamental pillars of the Nigerian federation.
In a statement by its leaders, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and Prince Justice Faloye, Afenifere expressed alarm over the increasing audacity of the Tinubu administration in dismantling vital structures of governance.
The group claimed that, instead of advancing restructuring towards a more prosperous and egalitarian federation, the administration is pursuing autocratic policies that infringe on the country’s democratic principles.
The statement highlighted the government’s efforts to usurp the powers of the federating units, the judiciary, and the legislature, as well as the suppression of fundamental freedoms such as freedom of speech and association.
Afenifere specifically pointed to the ban on Eedris Abdulkareem’s song “Tell Your Papa,” which was seen as a fair response to the controversial statements made by Seyi Tinubu regarding the state of the nation.
The group said, “Freedom of speech, a basic tenet of democracy, has repeatedly been under attack. This suppression of democratic freedoms, most instantiated by the banning of ‘Tell Your Papa’ by Eedris Abdulkareem, a fair response to the atrocious claims made by Seyi Tinubu on the state of the nation. The autocratic ban signals a leadership tendency that is disconnected from citizens’ realities, essentially inclined to maintaining autocratic control than fostering a milieu of freedom and creativity. The ban destructs the principles of democracy, is evidence of the increasing disregard for dissenting voices in Nigeria, potentially silencing artists and stifling creativity and the progress we need to move forward as a society.”
Furthermore, Afenifere condemned the growing insecurity in the country, citing a report by HumAngle’s Conflict Tracker that documented the deaths of 1,420 Nigerians and the kidnapping of 537 others in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
The group said, “Insecurity incidents, as contained in the recent report of HumAngle’s Conflict Tracker, have accounted for the death of 1,420 Nigerians, with over 537 reportedly kidnapped across the country in the first quarter of 2025.”
The group reiterated its call for the establishment of state police to address the root causes of insecurity, particularly the violent activities of Fulani herdsmen and bandits.
It also urged the government to ban open grazing and promote sustainable alternatives such as ranching.
Afenifere added, “The renewed unrestrained violence of Fulani herdsmen and bandits highlight the need for the government to address the root cause of these conflicts—open grazing—and outrightly ban it, while enforcing and promoting the more sustainable and safe alternative—ranching.”
The group called on the government to implement effective security measures to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians and to consider the creation of state police to bolster the nation’s internal security.
It said, “Politics aside, all management principles and best practices inform us that a single police hierarchy is not sufficient to provide the security required by a nation of our size and diversity. Yet due to personal political consideration, the Tinubu government has refused to create State Police as killings and kidnapping rise, threatening our national cohesiveness.”
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