Yoruba Have Right To Secession, Igboho Hits Back At FG

Yoruba nation agitator Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has hit back at the federal government, declaring that the Yoruba people have a constitutional right to demand secession 100 years after the amalgamation.

Igboho also warned the Nigerian government against intimidating the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, over the petition advocating for the recognition of a sovereign Yoruba nation he delivered to the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.

Reacting to the federal government’s action over his recent submission of a 25-page petition, the Yoruba Nation activist criticised the government’s actions as unnecessary attempts to pressure the British diplomat.

Osun Defender recalls that Igboho submitted his petition on Saturday at 10 Downing Street in London, calling for international recognition of the Yoruba people’s quest for self-determination.

In a statement he signed on Wednesday, Igboho emphasised the historical context of Nigeria’s colonial past, stating, “The British government colonised Nigeria, and we are well within our rights to submit a petition to them regarding our demand for a sovereign Yoruba nation.”

He referenced Nigeria’s independence from British rule on October 1, 1960, pointing out that the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914 was a British decision.

Igboho asserted that the Yoruba people have a constitutional right to demand secession 100 years after the amalgamation, labeling the union a “marriage of inconvenience.”

READ: UK Govt Rejects Sunday Igboho’s Yoruba Nation Petition

Sunday Igboho Submits Petition For Yoruba Nation To UK Prime Minister

He explained that the primary purpose of the petition was to enlist the British government as a witness before the United Nations concerning the Yoruba nation’s aspirations.

Igboho noted that the standard response time for such official communications was approximately two weeks, suggesting that Prime Minister Starmer might not have reviewed the petition yet.

He reassured the Yoruba people that their movement would not be deterred despite the ongoing intimidation tactics from the Nigerian government.

He stated, “We remain committed to peaceful, non-violent, and legitimate methods of ensuring the birth of a Yoruba nation.”

He urged his supporters to remain calm and resolute in their collective struggle for emancipation, emphasising the great potential of a vibrant Yoruba nation.

Igboho also addressed the invitation of Montgomery by the Federal Government in Abuja, insisting that it would not halt the campaign for Yoruba sovereignty.

He expressed his determination to continue seeking international backing for the movement, stating, “We will continue to seek international backing and bring our agenda before the global community.”