We (Afenifere) are not mad people who will see good things and say it is bad. But we are also not sycophants, who will see bad things and say it is good – Yinka Odumakin.

Tomorrow, Saturday April 2, 2022 marks exactly one year that Comrade Peter Oluyinka Odumakin, nationalist, democracy advocate, civil rights activist, unrepentant critic of a troubled Nigeria and until his death, spokesman for the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere bade the world farewell. To many who have been following the activities of Afenifere since his untimely passage, the void he left has been very difficult to fill while his successor is still struggling to step into his shoes as the mouthpiece of the once-revered Yoruba group. 

A journalist’s delight any day, the irrepressible Odumakin was a ready mouthpiece of Afenifere, and he was never shy or afraid to step on the sensitive toes of those in authority for failing to respond appropriately to the many leadership problems confronting Nigeria. Whenever there is a breaking news or developing story that has to do with the Nigerian state, Afenifere, through Odumakin was one of the very first to comment. He was always available to answer his calls at anytime of the day. On many occasions when he was in meetings and his opinion was needed, Odumakin will send a message asking journalists to send the question either to his mail or WhatsApp as he couldn’t answer calls. Once done, he responds in a jiffy. Being a journalist himself, he knew time is of essence and media houses need to close their stories on time for production. 

When Afenifere’s opinion is needed on any issue, Odumakin, a spokesman who really knew his worth is ever ready with an appropriate response. He doesn’t need to consult with or seek the permission of Afenifere leaders such as the former national leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti or Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the incumbent leader on what to say. They on the other hand, have never faulted his comments, no matter how harsh or abrasive it may be. The popular saying during his lifetime was ‘Yinka Odumakin is Afenifere and Afenifere is Yinka Odumakin’. That has become pronounced after his death as Afenifere’s voice is hardly heard on national issues. So many people today do not even know the name of his successor, Mr Jare Ajayi. Google ‘Afenifere Spokesman’ today and Yinka Odumakin’s name pops up one year after his death. 

Odumakin’s last public statement for Afenifere was issued on Sunday March 7, 2021 where he “commended the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) under the leadership of Iba Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland on the arrest of Iskilu Wakili, a Fulani bandit that has been terrorising the people of Ibarapa in Oyo state”. 

The statement he issued then reads “The organisation in a statement by Yinka Odumakin, its National Publicity Secretary said Wakili’s arrest has confirmed its position on the effectiveness of using locals to tackle insecurity challenges. 

”Afenifere gives tremendous commendation to OPC under Iba Gani Adams for the arrest of Iskilu Wakili, a Fulani bandit who has been spreading terror on our people in Igboho area and the Nigerian police and other security agencies unable to do anything about him. The early morning peaceful arrest confirms our position on how effective local initiative can do well in homeland security”. 

“We were not shocked that but for the intervention by the leadership in Oyo state, the police would have gone after the OPC boys instead of taking the criminal from them and do the needful. Nigeria is going nowhere with a security network that shuns federalism. Well done, OPC”. 

A respected columnist with DAILY INDEPENDENT and several other national newspapers, his weekly column ‘Voice Of Courage with YINKA ODUMAKIN was a delight to many newspaper and online reader. One of his last column, written on Sunday February 28, 2021 was titled ‘Fulani Republic of Bandits’. In the article, he wrote “How fast a country can degenerate into a failed republic is presently playing out in Nigeria such that it is tottering towards the edge, unhinged in the hands of leaders who are prepared to do it in in an unapologetic manner.The same people who were promoting change 6 years ago and their counterparts under the umbrella and their soulmates who were pretending to be clergy all out now with their daggers drawn under the same civilization to murder the country as fast as they could and unless the enlightened world rises in its self- interest ,it might be too late to safe Nigeria from one of the worst cataclysms that the world would have witnessed in recent times.

“I spoke with the envoy of a super country a few days ago with my brother and colleague, Bashorun Akin Osuntokun and he was tongue-tied of the prospect of one million Nigerians they cannot turn back at their border posts if it gets to midnight in the evil recipe the enemies of Nigeria are brewing”. 

When a country reaches a point when a state governor like Nasir el-Rufai announces openly that he had to go and pay foreign Fulanis who were coming to revenge the killing of their cows in Kaduna with human deaths because he is a Fulani like them, then the country should be aware that trouble is already at its door. More so, the same character announced to international observers on the eve of elections that the forces he represents would send them back to their countries in body bags if they interfered in Nigerian elections”. 

“In its special season of malady, Pieter Botha in South Africa made a demonic declaration that caught special attention of our Fela Anikulapo Kuti in ‘Beasts of no nation’ which should be the special anthem for the Fulani brotherhood that is disturbing the peace of Nigeria today and are fully lined behind their Boko Haram boys who have ensured that they seize the peace of Nigeria, more or less saying “this uprising will bring out the beasts in us”. 

“Nigeria is presently under the bus and there is nobody locally with responsibility that is ready to pull it out as they have been sold to a sub-national agenda that has no redemptive value but ultimate destruction .It is imaginable if non-bandit Nigerians do rise in number who want to live their civilization if we continued this way:”

“This bandits republic is not the legacy of Awo,Zik and Balewa who negotiated a federal constitution for us at independence in their full understanding of our multiplicity .To turn all of us to bandits or people at the mercy of it for a civilization at this stage will be a tall order .They will be repulsive in their graves”

One year after his death, the issues raised by Odumakin are still here. This week, many people were killed and several others kidnapped while scores were injured as bandits attacked a train conveying passengers from Abuja to Kaduna on Monday night.