The sun sets on May 29th, a date that once stood for the celebration of democracy but has now been rebranded as a mere Inauguration Day. For the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere, this third anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration isn't a moment for applause. Instead, they’ve painted a grim picture of a nation caught in the web of what they term 'Summum Malum'—the ultimate evil of poverty, tyranny, and violent death.

Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the leader of Afenifere, and Prince Justice Faloye, the group's national publicity secretary, put out a statement that didn't hold back. They argued that the promise of 'Renewed Hope' has curdled into a reality of teachers being beheaded and students being kidnapped across states like Kwara and Oyo. The group links this rise in violence to a failure to restructure the country's security architecture, specifically pointing to the absence of state and community policing.

The nightmare of ultimate evil has become a reality under APC administration with teachers being beheaded, children being kidnapped and villages ransacked and displaced.

A biting question hangs in the air from the group: is there an unholy pact between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the forces fueling this insecurity? The statement recalls admissions from some party stalwarts who claimed to have brought in external elements to unsettle the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan back in 2015. Afenifere observes that the insecurity that once haunted the Northwest has now moved, like a dark cloud, into the Southwest.

Economically, the situation looks just as bleak to the group. They highlight a staggering poverty rate of 63%, with Nigeria now holding the title of the world’s second-largest population of extreme poor, trailing only India. With a national debt sitting at N65.9 trillion and 30 million people living without proper shelter, the group argues that neoliberal policies are effectively bleeding the economy dry. They specifically pointed to the replacement of the former finance minister with a 'tax man' as a move to squeeze the last drop of blood from a struggling citizenry.

  • 63%: The current poverty rate cited by the group as a consequence of present economic policies.
  • N65.9 trillion: The total national debt accumulated through the cost of governance and various development projects.
  • 30 million: The number of Nigerians currently facing homelessness, contributing to the country's global ranking.
  • 54.6 years: The reported life expectancy in Nigeria, which sits two decades below the global average.
  • N800 billion: The amount allegedly deducted from federal allocations to states for party campaign financing.

The organisation didn't stop at economic data. They accused the government of rampant cronyism, alleging that contracts are being handed out to friends and family without the necessary due process. They describe the current state of governance as a 'defiant march towards fascism.' They note that student unions, labour groups, and opposition voices are being systematically stifled. In their view, the electoral and judicial institutions aren't independent; they’re being manipulated to serve a singular, authoritarian interest.

Afenifere’s plea is for a radical shift. They believe the only way to avoid 'unsavory change' is for the administration to stop its slide toward one-man rule. They want a space where opposition parties can actually function and where the electoral system doesn't degrade in moral compass every time the country goes to the polls. As the current administration marks three years, the group's message is clear: the current path is unsustainable, and the dream of a prosperous Nigeria remains buried under the weight of these systemic failures.