Ayo Adebanjo (April 10, 1928 – February 14, 2025) was a Nigerian lawyer, nationalist, and co-founder of Afenifere.
His early career included journalism and a brief stint at the Ministry of Health, where he was dismissed for participating in pro-independence protests.
[3][1] Adebanjo was a founding member of Afenifere, established in 1993 as a response to the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.
[4] As Afenifere’s leader, Adebanjo campaigned for restructuring Nigeria into a federal state, arguing that centralized governance exacerbated ethnic tensions and economic disparities.
[7] Afenifere under Adebanjo opposed military rule, supported the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) during Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggles,[8] and endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election.