Why Obasanjo, Gani Adams, Afenifere leaders met in Lagos

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some leaders of the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, met in Lagos on Wednesday to address “issues that are critical and germane to Yoruba interest.”

The meeting, it was learnt, was held at the private home of Afenifere Leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, in Lekki.

• World AIDS Day: ‘People Rather Sit With COVID-19 Patients Than An HIV Positive Person’
• Terrorism May Persist For Another 20 Years In Nigeria – Buratai

Others at the meeting were the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin and a few others.

The main agenda at the meeting, according to findings, was to reconcile former President Obasanjo and Gani Adams.

Daily Trust reports that there has been no love lost between the duo until yesterday when they were reconciled.

The meeting, according to sources, was at the instance of Obasanjo to also discuss the future of Yorubaland following the rising wave of insecurity in the country.

Afenifere recently condemned the rising cases of insecurity in the region following the murder of a first-class traditional ruler in Ondo State, Oba Israel Adewusi.

Several kidnapping cases were last week recorded in the region with Afenifere declaring that enough is enough and calling for a tinkering with the security architecture of the country.

Spokesman of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, who confirmed the meeting to Daily Trust said it was also to reconcile former President Obasanjo and Aare Onakakanfo apart from the consideration of other issues critical and germane to Yoruba interests within Nigeria.

However, Obasanjo has denied holding a reconciliation meeting with the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland in Lagos.

The former president, in a statement in Abeokuta, Ogun State, by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said there was no rift to warrant reconciliation between him and Adams in the first place.

Obasanjo, however, admitted that he had issues with Adams’ past way of life “which was not in accord with my standards and principles.”

He also noted that he had refused to grant Gani’s request to visit him both in and out of government.