A faction of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group led by Ayo Adebanjo, has expressed support for the planned ’10 Days of Rage’ protest scheduled to take place nationwide from August 1 to 10. The protest aims to address economic hardships and insecurity in Nigeria.
Justice Faloye, the group’s publicity secretary, explained their stance on Thursday.
Faloye stated, “Afenifere is not planning to be a part of the protest, but we support anybody who wants to [express] their fundamental human rights.”
He added, “We, in Afenifere, have been warning about the economic policies – that if it continues, ‘if you continue with the [removal of] subsidies and high inflation’, there is no way you can stop people, you cannot tell a hungry man to wait.”
This support comes from the Adebanjo-led faction, which broke away from the Reuben Fasoranti leadership prior to the 2023 presidential election. While the Fasoranti group backed Bola Tinubu, the eventual winner from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adebanjo’s faction supported Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Faloye addressed concerns about potential violence during the protest. “In most cases, it is not the protesters that actually cause the problem; it is the government or political thugs that cause the issues,” he said. This view echoes sentiments expressed by human rights lawyer Femi Falana.
The Explainer gathered that the planned protest has faced opposition from various quarters. The Northern youth group under the Arewa Youth Assembly and the South-East Governors’ Forum have distanced themselves from the event. Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has alleged that the protest is politically motivated.
Responding to these concerns, Faloye said, “We don’t believe that people will come out and start burning. We have seen years and years of protests, and we realise that it becomes violent when the government tries to stop it.”
He urged security operatives to maintain law and order and cautioned the government against using force.
Faloye criticized the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, describing them as superficial and inadequate to address current hardships. He advised the government to consider economic restructuring, reduce governance costs, and invest in heavy manufacturing jobs.
“Despite the president being a Yoruba man, Afenifere will always criticise his faulty economic policies,” Faloye stated. He suggested that local governments should be scrapped and state police introduced to boost security and agricultural production.
As the protest date approaches, tensions remain high between the government and various socio-political groups.
The Tinubu administration continues to urge for more time to address economic concerns, while protest organizers maintain their stance on the necessity of the demonstration.
