Femi Okurounmu
Encyclopedia
Femi Okurounmu was elected Senator for the Ogun Central constituency of Ogun State
, Nigeria
at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
, running on the Alliance for Democracy
(AD) platform. He held office from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003.
Okurounmu was earlier Commissioner of the Ogun State Ministry of Works.
After taking his seat in the Senate in 1999, Okurounmu was appointed to committees on Commerce and Economic Affairs.
He ran for reelection in 2003, but was defeated by Alhaji Ibikunle Awonseu of the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) by 52,390 to 111,920 votes.
Okurounmu was appointed Secretary General of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere
.
In January 2005 he was chairman of the logistics committee for a conference including Leaders of both the Afenifere and the Yoruba Council of Elders, who had been in dispute since 1999.
During a February 2006 public hearing on amendments to the constitution which would allow President Olusegun Obasanjo to run for a third term, Okurounmu presented the position of the Afenifere faction led by Rueben Fasoranti, stating that the country should still maintain two terms of four years.
He dissociated the Yoruba from Obasanjo's third term agenda, saying it was the work of the President and the PDP.
In July 2008 Okurounmu blamed the unrest in the southwest of Nigeria on the politics of self aggrandizement and selfishness, where politicians seek power only to serve themselves.
In January 2009 he said that Afenifere membership was open to all, regardless of political party affiliation, as long as they believe in the Afenifere and Awoist credo.
In May 2010 he said that the zoning arrangement in the PDP by which presidents alternate between South and North every two terms was ridiculous, and supported the right of Goodluck Jonathan
to seek reelection.
In January 2010 Okurounmu, called Baba Ijo (father of the congregation) of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Sodubi, Abeokuta
, had
reportedly led a revolt of some of the church elders against the presiding Priest. Aggrieved youths sealed off the church gates to prevent worshipers attending the Sunday Service, threatening to lynch Okurounmu, and 15 police had to intervene to prevent the situation from becoming violent.
Ogun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
, running on the Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria)
The Alliance for Democracy was a progressive opposition political party in Nigeria. It was formed on September 9th 1998. At the 2003 legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 8.8 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 360 seats in the Nigerian House of Representatives and six out of...
(AD) platform. He held office from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003.
Okurounmu was earlier Commissioner of the Ogun State Ministry of Works.
After taking his seat in the Senate in 1999, Okurounmu was appointed to committees on Commerce and Economic Affairs.
He ran for reelection in 2003, but was defeated by Alhaji Ibikunle Awonseu of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) by 52,390 to 111,920 votes.
Okurounmu was appointed Secretary General of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere
Afenifere
Afenifere was formed as a socio-cultural organization for the Yoruba people of Nigeria, with Abraham Adesanya as its leader and Chief Bola Ige as deputy leader. Other founding members were Pa Onasanya, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Adegbonmire, Okurounmu Femi, Ganiyu Dawodu, Olanihun Ajayi, Olu Falae,...
.
In January 2005 he was chairman of the logistics committee for a conference including Leaders of both the Afenifere and the Yoruba Council of Elders, who had been in dispute since 1999.
During a February 2006 public hearing on amendments to the constitution which would allow President Olusegun Obasanjo to run for a third term, Okurounmu presented the position of the Afenifere faction led by Rueben Fasoranti, stating that the country should still maintain two terms of four years.
He dissociated the Yoruba from Obasanjo's third term agenda, saying it was the work of the President and the PDP.
In July 2008 Okurounmu blamed the unrest in the southwest of Nigeria on the politics of self aggrandizement and selfishness, where politicians seek power only to serve themselves.
In January 2009 he said that Afenifere membership was open to all, regardless of political party affiliation, as long as they believe in the Afenifere and Awoist credo.
In May 2010 he said that the zoning arrangement in the PDP by which presidents alternate between South and North every two terms was ridiculous, and supported the right of Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
to seek reelection.
In January 2010 Okurounmu, called Baba Ijo (father of the congregation) of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Sodubi, Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
, had
reportedly led a revolt of some of the church elders against the presiding Priest. Aggrieved youths sealed off the church gates to prevent worshipers attending the Sunday Service, threatening to lynch Okurounmu, and 15 police had to intervene to prevent the situation from becoming violent.