He named the former Deputy Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, as the Acting National Leader, while the former Financial Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Alaago of Kajola Ago, will serve as the new deputy leader.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr. Kunle Olajide, who was in the meeting where Fasoranti named Adebanjo as his successor, said: “It was commendable of the immediate past leader of Afenifere to name Adebanjo, who is also one of the right-hand men of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as his successor.”
“Fasoranti needed someone younger and energetic that can add to the political template of Nigeria. To support Adebanjo, we appointed Chief Olaitan as acting deputy leader.
Also, Senator Femi Okunrounmu said Adebanjo would definitely bring his activist nature to bare as head of Afenifere, saying: “Although the new leader is in the best position to explain how he wants to run the organization, it is expected of him to really continue to agitate for true federalism and change of the current unitary constitution, which has always been the position of Afenifere.”
While lauding Fasoranti’s decision, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum said it was not surprising the former Afenifere leader stepped aside.
In a statement yesterday, President of the forum, Mr. Akin Malaolu, said: “We are not surprised at the decision of our foremost Yoruba leader to take a bow. He has never betrayed the great Awoists of Yorubaland. Awolowo would have done the same for age reasons but he died before attaining very old age.”