The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has declared that it has no Youth Congress or Youth Wing of any type.
The rebuttal was contained in a Press Release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, in the wake of an event that was held last Wednesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. Following is the text of the Release:
AFENIFERE HAS NO YOUTH WING or CONGRESS
Our attention has just been drawn to a group with the nomenclature of Afenifere Youth Congress. The said entity even organized a programme at Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, on Wedneday, January 5 , 2022 in which it conferred an award on some people.
This is to state categorically that AFENIFERE, the renowned pan-Yoruba socio-political organization has no youth wing of any type, be it congress, wing, arm etc.
Earlier in its young life, some young people attempted to form Afenifere Youth Wing, but some activities that took place made our fathers at that time to cancel anything of that nature. Since then, there has not been anything close to a youth arm, congress or wing for Afenifere.
It needs to be stated that Afenifere, even as presently constituted, is non-discriminatory to all Yoruba adults irrespective of biological age as it is open to any Yoruba person who subscribes to its ethos. In other words, since the body accommodates both old and young who are qualified, it does not have a need for a Youth Wing or Congress. Being a Yoruba person of integrity and being ready to subscribe to the ethos of the organization are among the major qualifications to be an Afenifere member.
Thus, apart from not having a Youth Congress, Afenifere does not go about conferring awards on people.