Afenifere Commends Southwest Governors on Joint Security Initiative, Demands Immediate Action on Food Production
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political group, Afenifere, has strongly endorsed the decision of Southwest governors to establish a Joint Surveillance Monitoring Team to enhance regional security. The organization, however, insists that the governors must act decisively to ensure tangible results, particularly in boosting food production to counter rising prices.
In a statement issued in Ibadan, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, praised the governors’ resolution, calling it a step in the right direction. He emphasized that the framework for effective security coordination already exists in the form of the Southwest Security Network (Amotekun), which operates in all states except Lagos. Ajayi urged the governors to fortify Amotekun, equip its personnel, and establish a Lagos unit to ensure comprehensive regional security.
Ajayi further highlighted the governors’ commitment to deploying advanced technology, including aerial surveillance systems, but stressed that their resolutions must go beyond rhetoric. “The real challenge is implementation. They must procure and deploy modern security equipment to detect and neutralize threats before they escalate,” he asserted.
Expressing urgency, Ajayi referenced Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent revelation that bandits had set up camps within the state, specifically near Fashola in the Oyo-Iseyin axis. This, he warned, underscores the need for swift and effective security interventions.
Beyond security, Afenifere demanded concrete measures to tackle food inflation. While acknowledging the governors’ plan to establish State Food Inflation Joint Monitoring Teams and Food Hubs, Ajayi dismissed these as ineffective without a fundamental increase in local food production.
“The real solution is ensuring that food is produced in large quantities across the region. The Southwest cannot remain dependent on food supplies from outside Yorubaland. In the past, we produced what we consumed—we must return to that reality,” Ajayi declared.
He called on the governors to prioritize large-scale food production, following Lagos State’s model of government-backed food markets, to ensure affordability and accessibility. “If food supply increases, prices will naturally drop,” he noted.
Afenifere concluded by urging Southwest leaders to move from resolutions to immediate action, ensuring both security and food sufficiency become realities rather than mere political pronouncements.
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