Afenifere Commends Tinubu, Soyinka as Yoruba Cultural Icons

September 4, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

Pan-Yoruba socio-political and cultural organisation, Afenifere, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, describing them as exemplary ambassadors of the Yoruba nation whose conduct reflects the values of their people.

In a statement signed by its National Organising Secretary, Otunba Kole Omololu, the group said recent events have brought global attention to the prestige of the Yoruba people and the enduring strength of their traditions.

Afenifere pointed to a state banquet in Brazil where President Tinubu vacated his seat for Professor Soyinka, addressing him as “egbon” (elder brother). The group said the gesture exemplified Yoruba culture of respect, humility, and the omolúàbí ethos.

The statement also noted that Yoruba culture has remained vibrant across Latin America through practices such as Candomblé, Santería, Vodou, and Orisha worship, which have preserved sacred words and traditions centuries after the transatlantic slave trade.

According to Afenifere, no other African ethnic group has sustained such a widespread diaspora while maintaining its moral and cultural identity. It described this as evidence of the resilience, dignity, and timeless relevance of Yoruba traditions.

The group said both Tinubu and Soyinka embody the virtues of the Yoruba spirit with integrity and grace, serving as role models to younger generations and representing the Yoruba nation with pride on the global stage.