The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has declared a period of mourning ovr the passing of the leader of the Afenifere group, Ayo Adebanjo.
The leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the mourning period would span the space of two traditional market days in according with the customs of the Igbo land.
According to the group the mourning period is aimed at honouring the memory, life and legacy laid by Adebanjo as a true Nigerian leader.
The leader and co-founder of the Afenifere group died on Friday, February 14, 2025, at the age of 96.
In a statement released by Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Deputy President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the socio-political group conveyed its deepest condolences to the Adebanjo family.
Isiguzoro said the Adebajo’s passing struck members and leaders of the group as a huge shock following the impact the Yoruba leader has hand in the development of the Southeast region.
Describing the late Adebanjo as a visionary leader, Isiguzoro said the Afenifere leader stood for the Igbo people in their darkest times.
Isiguzoro said, “We recognize Pa Ayodele Samuel Adebanjo’s unwavering dedication to interethnic harmony and unity among the diverse groups that constitute Nigeria.
“As a distinguished member of the Middle Belt–Southern Nigerian Forum, he exemplified a commitment to fostering collaboration across ethnic lines. His contributions to this collaborative initiative underscored a vision for a more integrated and equitable Nigeria, offering strength and solidarity to the collective efforts of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, PANDEF, and Afenifere.
“The legacy of Pa Adebanjo is particularly significant for the Igbo people, who shall forever remember him as a progressive Yoruba elder statesman who courageously abandoned tribal sentiment in favor of fairness and justice,” he said.
Also reflecting on his resolute to support Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate for the Labour Party, Isiguzoro said the actions and decisions taken by the late Adebanjo before and after the election stands as a poignant testament to his patriotism and his commitment to uplifting the aspirations of the Igbo nation.
He added, “Furthermore, Ohanaeze Ndigbo commits to actively participating in all funeral rites for Pa Adebanjo, extending our hands in solidarity with our Yoruba brothers and sisters during this period of mourning.
“On behalf of the global family of Igbos, both at home and in the diaspora, Ohanaeze Ndigbo expresses its deepest sympathies to the family of Pa Ayodele Samuel Adebanjo, the leadership of Afenifere, the Oduduwa Nation, and the esteemed Governors of the Southwest.
“May the Almighty God grant him eternal peace and forgiveness for any of his shortcomings, as he joins the ancestors who have carefully charted the path for our collective future,” Isiguzoro stated.
