Afenifere opposes bill granting Indigene status after 10-Year residency, citing ethnic tension concerns

April 04, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has expressed strong opposition to the Indigenes Status Bill, which seeks to grant indigenous status and rights to individuals who have lived in a particular area for ten years or are married to an indigene.

According to Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, this bill could “aggravate ethnic tension and violence.”

The bill, sponsored by Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, and six other lawmakers, underwent a second reading on March 26, 2025.

It aims to alter relevant sections of the Constitution to guarantee indigene status to individuals by reason of birth, continuous residence, or marriage.

Afenifere argues that indigene-ship is tied to ancestral, cultural, and historical roots, and that granting indigene status after a mere 10-year residency could disrupt the delicate balance of ethnic relations in Nigeria.

The organization fears that this bill could lead to communal clashes and further divide the country.

Instead, Afenifere urges the National Assembly to focus on restructuring the country to ensure that every part has a sense of belonging and can determine its own affairs within a truly federal Nigeria nation.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has also weighed in on the issue, advocating for the elimination of policies that distinguish between indigenes and non-indigenes.

However, Afenifere remains skeptical, citing concerns about ethnic tensions and the potential for communal clashes.