As Nigeria marks the 64 anniversary of independence, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere, has commended the people’s enduring spirit just as it expressed optimism that things should take a better shape soonest.
This was contained in the message by The Leader of Afenifere, Chief Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, OFR, as released by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi.
According to Afenifere leader, although the country is going through a challenging moment, there is the need to acknowledge the modest progress being made since we attained independence. Mentioned in this respect were the fact that Nigeria remains as one country in spite of the civil war that was fought as well as some other internal crises that have taken place in the last 64 years.
“This point is worthy of note when one remembers that some countries with which Nigeria took off around the same time have split into two or three”.
The statement went further to appreciate the fact that the country has been operating an unbroken civil rule since 1999. Since this is the longest time that the democratic practice had not been broken for this long, it is worth acknowledging with a view to ensuring that it is sustained.
“In this wise, Afenifere is calling on all players in the political field at all levels to ensure that they act in ways that make Nigerians to have a sense of belonging in democracy by implementing policies that make the people to count”.
On the plan rally by some Nigerians to express their feelings on the socio-economic situation in the country through some activities on October 1, the mainstream Yoruba organization said that it is the right of the people to do so. It however pleaded that such should be done in a peaceful manner without looting or causing any damage to property and without harming anybody.
The statement called on the federal government under President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to do more in the areas of security, agriculture, education, economy and increase its efforts at ensuring that available infrastructure function while also working on providing more.
“State governments are also urged to do more in infrastructure and service delivery particularly in those areas that there is no constitutional inhibition for them. The local governments too should be alive to their responsibilities now that they are having fiscal autonomy so that people’s welfare can improve tremendously”, the statement concluded.
