Ayo Adebanjo, who has died at the age of 96, was one of Nigeria’s foremost federalists, a pro-democracy activist and a social justice campaigner.
He dedicated his life to the advancement of social justice in Nigeria through various groups and structures. He played leading roles in Afenifere, the National Democratic Coalition and the Obidient movement. Both Afenifere and the coalition were founded as a response to the annulment of the 12 June 1993 presidential election.
Afenifere is a Yoruba socio-cultural organisation. The National Democratic Coalition, formed in May 1994, was made up of activists who called on the Sani Abacha-led military government to step down for Moshood Abiola. Abiola was the acknowledged winner of the election as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party. The Obidient Movement was made up mostly of young Nigerians who mobilised support for the 2023 presidential candidature of Peter Obi.
