Nigerian human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, who also serves as the General Secretary of Afenifere, has asserted that the country’s present condition is more dire than it was during the 1993 military regime.
Speaking at a public symposium titled “Afenifere: Identity, Ideas and Ideology,” held on Thursday at the Muson Centre in Onikan, Lagos State, Farotimi lamented the decline of the Nigerian state and stressed the urgent need for unity, ideological clarity, and citizen-led action.
The event was organised to commemorate the 97th posthumous birthday of Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the late leader of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group that has played a key role in Nigeria’s political history.
“Before Baba Adebanjo died, we were already discussing this symposium,” Farotimi said.
“Those discussions were informed by the misunderstandings and divisions that had begun to trouble the path of Afenifere.”
He continued, “Not long before Baba’s passing, I became the National Organising Secretary of Afenifere. A few weeks after his demise, it became clear that efforts must be made to clear the misconceptions around Afenifere—its ideology, its history, and its role in Nigeria. We decided to use this opportunity to celebrate Baba’s life, the ideals he stood for, and ensure those ideals are carried forward in a manner that reflects the truth and the people’s understanding.”
Farotimi stated the urgency of discussing the future of Afenifere, noting that Nigeria is at a crossroads.
“There is an American, Paul Bock, who said: ‘If you want to understand today, you have to research yesterday,” he said.
“The challenges Nigeria faces today are not new. When Afenifere was formed 74 years ago, it was a response to existential threats to the Nigerian project—even before independence. Issues of centralisation, calls for separation, and debates around federalism were already alive. Federalism, championed by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Action Group, was the middle ground.”
Farotimi criticised the centralist tendencies that have plagued Nigeria’s political structure.
“What we have today is a one-size-fits-all system, imposed by the centre. Instead of allowing the diverse nations within Nigeria to flourish, we have a unitary arrangement masquerading as federalism. This structure has stifled development and made life nearly unbearable for many Nigerians.”
He pointed out the systematic destruction of institutions that once gave citizens a voice.
He said, “Every platform that could empower the people has been systematically dismantled. Afenifere, however, still has a role to play—if there is to be a future for Nigeria. Afenifere must be at the forefront of challenging the current system that has erased the place of the citizen and undermined the rule of law.
“With the judicial system compromised, and the law rendered meaningless, the lives of all Nigerians—whether Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani, or Ijaw—have been devalued.”
Farotimi decried the state’s failure to ensure security, noting: “We live in a country where armed groups are referred to as ‘hunters,’ and yet no one knows who or what they’re hunting. Citizens sleep with one eye open—or don’t sleep at all—because the state has failed in its most basic duty: the protection of lives and property. The constitution is ignored at will, and governance is marked by illegitimacy and arbitrariness.”
Drawing a historical parallel, Farotimi referenced the 1993 political crisis following the annulment of the presidential election.
“After General Abacha took power on November 17, 1993, Nigerians across the country were aggrieved. Different groups had different complaints, but Afenifere served as the binding force—leading the formation of NADECO and pushing back against military tyranny.
“Today, the situation is even worse. In 2023, just like in 1993, the will of the people has been disregarded, and that puts the very foundation of society at risk.”
According to Farotimi, Afenifere’s duty is to awaken Nigerians to the common nature of their suffering and help forge a united front.
Farotimi said, “If we allow ourselves to be distracted and divided, we lose our ability to seek freedom. Those who benefit from our disunity do so by diminishing not just our civic rights but our humanity.
“Afenifere must now offer a platform for all Nigerians—regardless of ethnic background—to come together. It was never founded for the Yoruba alone but for all Nigerians. It was founded to save us from ourselves.
“I still hear Baba’s voice telling us: ‘Go and organise yourselves.’ He never stopped calling for unity and self-organisation. Today, we honour him not just in words but through action. What we do with his legacy is now in our hands.”
“Afenifere is extending a hand to all Nigerians—to work with us, to find common ground and purpose, so that we may save ourselves from the crises that engulf us. This situation is not desirable—but it is not irreversible,” he added.
The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Nigeria has faced growing criticism over its treatment of free speech and public dissent.
Since taking office in May 2023, there have been multiple reports of actions perceived as suppression of free speech, limiting dissent, and curtailing protesters’ activities.
The government’s approach to public protests, media freedom, and civil liberties has raised alarm among human rights organisations, journalists, and activists.
Journalists critical of the government have faced intimidation, harassment, and arrests. Some media houses that report critically on the government have been subjected to fines, threats, and legal actions.
Prominent journalists and bloggers have been targeted for criticising the government’s policies. For example, the government has used social media platforms to clamp down on content deemed “fake news” or critical of the administration.
The Tinubu government has also used security forces to suppress public protests. Demonstrations against various government policies, such as the removal of fuel subsidies, have been met with forceful dispersals by the police or military. Protesters have been arrested, and in some instances, violence was used to break up gatherings.
One example of this crackdown occurred during nationwide protests against the removal of fuel subsidies, which significantly raised the price of petrol. Security forces were deployed to disperse crowds, and several arrests were made.
