Afenifere opens dialogue with Igbo leaders

Afenifere has initiated dialogue with Igbo leaders to rebuild trust and promote peaceful coexistence ahead of the 2027 elections, citing growing mutual suspicion between both ethnic groups.

Chief Deji Wellington, Lagos State Chairman of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, says the group has initiated dialogue with Igbo leaders to rebuild trust and promote peaceful coexistence ahead of the 2027 general elections. Wellington said this on Sunday while explaining the rationale behind Afenifere’s recent meeting with leaders of the Igbo community in Lagos.

He said the initiative was informed by growing mutual suspicion between the Yoruba and Igbo communities, which he described as unhealthy for national unity and peaceful political participation. “Our observation is that there is mutual suspicion between the Yoruba and the Igbo. We believe this should not be the case because those of us who lived through the 1960s and 1970s witnessed a different relationship,” Wellington said.

According to him, the relationship between both ethnic groups was once characterised by mutual trust, friendship and communal living. He recalled that during the Nigerian civil war, many Igbo families entrusted their homes and loved ones to their Yoruba neighbours. “When they returned, they found their homes intact, with rents and proceeds faithfully kept for them,” Wellington said. He lamented that political and economic developments later damaged the cordial relationship.

The dialogue is a welcome initiative. Ethnic suspicion has been a recurring theme in Nigerian politics, and the failure to address it has led to repeated cycles of violence and distrust. Afenifere’s attempt to rebuild trust between the Yoruba and Igbo is a recognition that Nigeria’s ethnic divisions are not inevitable and can be overcome through dialogue.

This echoes the 2010s ethnic reconciliation efforts in Nigeria, which also sought to promote trust between groups. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a recognition that dialogue is essential for peace.

The winners: the Yoruba and Igbo communities, who may benefit from improved relations; and Nigeria, which gains from greater unity. The losers: those who profit from ethnic division; and the Nigerian public, who must hope that the dialogue leads to lasting peace.

Bottom Line: Afenifere is reaching out to Igbo leaders. The goal is to rebuild trust. The question is whether the dialogue will lead to lasting reconciliation or remain a talking point.