South-West Blasts Sunday Igboho Over Comment On Nationwide Protests
The Yoruba Union, known as Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorúbá, has disassociated itself from the self-acclaimed Yoruba agitator, Chief Sunday Igboho, over his purported statement against the August 1 peaceful protest.
The group said Igboho was an opportunist who rose on the back of the Yoruba Nation’s agitation for self-defence against Fulani herdsmen invasion in the South West.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the convener, Olusola Oluwaseyi Badero, expressed that the Yoruba Union was highly disappointed by the purported statement made by Igboho, who claims to be an activist but has supported the oppressors against the wishes of the Yoruba people.
Badero said that Sunday Igboho’s stance with the oppressors, who are perpetrating evil against the Yoruba people, shows that he does not uphold the ethics and teachings of true Yoruba tradition.
“Let me remind Chief Igboho that when he was incarcerated in the Benin Republic, the Yoruba Union, through Maiyegun Diary Politico, raised over N20 million for a court case to secure his release. However, we are surprised to see him supporting a government that exiled and jailed him.
“A leopard cannot change its spots. Igboho is known as a political opportunist who has aligned with oppressive politicians for self-aggrandisement while the Yoruba people are languishing in abject poverty.”
“Our people cannot go to farms because of insecurity, and our wives and daughters have been raped by Fulani herdsmen. Kidnapping, on the other hand, has been commercialized by criminals invading our ancestral land. Yet, Igboho still aligns with those who inflict poverty and pain on our people.”
Badero said the protesters are sons and daughters of Yoruba whose dignity has been taken away from them.
They are the poor ones who were once earning from hand to mouth but have now become street beggars.
“Sunday Igboho has no right as an individual to stop protests in Yoruba land. Only a person devoid of honour would publicly use their left hand to point towards their father’s house. As Yoruba people, we are born with pride and dignity. We are not born as slaves but as heroes fighting for the freedom of our people.”
“We appeal to the concerned Yoruba people who have been disappointed by Sunday Igboho’s behaviour towards the planned August protests to exercise patience. This situation clearly illustrates how Igboho might compromise the Yoruba Nation’s struggle for the highest bidders.”
“We call on our people in the South West to ignore Sunday Igboho and come out en masse from August 1st to 10th to peacefully demonstrate and demand your needs. As Yoruba people, no one can intimidate us on our land, and no recruited thug who overnight claims to be an activist can stop the protest.”
“We have mobilised our lawyers throughout the South West region to monitor our people. If anything happens to the Yoruba people, President Tinubu, along with all the South West governors and Sunday Igboho, will be held responsible. Sunday Igboho and his sponsors are planning anarchy in Yoruba land, and we will not remain passive and allow such things to happen,” he said.
Badero added that the Yoruba Union is aware that some politicians in the South West have recruited thugs and cultists to hijack the peaceful protest and attack the protesters, but that wouldn’t stop people from the region from protesting.
