Sunday Igboho delivers petition to 10 Downing Street asking UK to support Yoruba Nation agitation

YORUBA Nation campaigner Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho has delivered a petition to Number 10 Downing Street in which he calls on the British government to recognise his calls for independence.

On July 1 2021, Mr Igboho fled after his Ibadan home was raided by security forces who killed two of his aides and arrested a further 13. He subsequently turned up in Benin Republic but was arrested at Cotonou airport while he was trying to board a plane to Germany and is now in court facing several immigration charges.

Last year, Mr Igboho was released by the Beninoise authorities and since travelled to join his family in Germany, where he has lived ever since. Yesterday, he made a surprise visit to London where he delivered a petition to Prime Minister Kier Starmer, requesting the British government support the creation of a Yoruba nation.

Mr Igboho was said to have submitted the petition on behalf of Professor Adebanji Akintoye, the leader of the Yoruba Nation movement. Their movement is seeking the immediate intervention of Mr Starmer and his government in the agitation to establish a country that will be predominantly owned by indigenous Yoruba people.

Yomi Koiki, Mr Igboho's spokesman, said: “At exactly 1400 hours, Chief Sunday Igboho delivered a petition to the UK prime minister on behalf of Professor Adebanji Akintoye, leader of the Yoruba Nation movement, at 10 Downing Street.”

Professor Akintoye had earlier accused the Nigerian government of trying to cajole Mr Igboho into withdrawing from the agitations. He added that during the agitator’s travails in Benin Republic, the ambassador and former chief of army staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai had used his influence as an envoy to sneak a note to Mr Igboho in prison, promising him billions of naira if only he would renounce his agitations for a Yoruba nation.

He, however, said Igboho refused to sign the paper, which was later taken away by General Buratai. According to Professor Akintoye, the Nigerian government wanted Mr Igboho to declare that he had opted out of the Yoruba Nation struggle.