- Says S’West Wants Total Freedom, Not Restructuring
A self-acclaimed O’odua Activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Igboho has boasted that nobody can kill him or has the right to stop him and his co-agitators from holding the scheduled Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos State.
The New Diplomat had reported that the Yoruba Nation rally has been scheduled to hold in Lagos State on July 3, while the convergence point will be Ojota Park, Lagos State, according to Igboho’s recent announcement.
Igboho has championed the call for the balkanization of the South West from Nigeria to establish a separate country of the Oduduwa Nation. According to Igboho and others who believe in his cause, the essence of the rally is to sensitize the Yorubas on the need to support the call for secession as several campaigns have been held in South Western states of the country.
Reacting to the reports that protest won’t be allowed in Lagos State, the activist averred that Lagos is a Yoruba state and as such no one has the right to stop him from protesting there.
Igboho, while receiving a vehicle presented to him by some donors in support of the Yoruba Nation agitation, stated that Lagosians have express support for the rally and are ready to join the ‘peaceful rally’.
In his words: “Some people are going about saying we shouldn’t come to Lagos that we’ll be killed, it is a lie and it is all false. Nobody has said he will kill Igboho in Lagos, and nobody has said Igboho should not come to Lagos.
“I’m a true son of the soil, Lagos is a Yoruba land and does not belong to the Hausas or any other tribe, so let us focus on the current struggle and don’t let us dwell on rumours.
“Although in rumours, there are some elements of truth but we are optimistic. Lagos is a Yoruba land and majority of those in Lagos are Yorubas and the way Yorubas are suffering, many are not satisfied.
“We are not scared of anybody… We have done peaceful rallies across other southwest states and we are just creating awareness. We are not coming to Lagos to create crises or cause troubles. We are peaceful.
“Those thinking we won’t hold the rally in Lagos are deceiving themselves; we call on the Lagos state government to provide security operatives to protect the agitators on the said date.
“Lagosians are ready to receive us peacefully on July 3, we are coming with a peaceful awareness too.”
According to Igboho, the popular demand among the Yorubas is the establishment of the Yoruba Nation and not the restructuring of the nation as agitated by some individuals.
Many groups, individuals, political leaders have been calling for the restructuring of Nigeria, arguing that restructuring is the only solution to the problems of the country.
Meanwhile, Igboho has kicked against the idea, saying that Yorubas have suffered for long and deserved to have a nation of their own.
According to him, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has allegedly marginalised the entire southwest region.
The activist futher called for the support of the Yorubas, saying that the campaign for the establishment of the Yoruba Nation cannot be successful if there is no unity.
In his words, “Our demand is simple, to tell Buhari that we do not want restructuring but Yoruba Nation.
“On Yoruba Nation, no going back. We have our faith in God. When God heard the cries of Israelites, he answered them; the cries of Yorubas have been heard by God. Noah’s ark can be likened to the current Yoruba agitation.
“I’m saying it boldly; nobody can kill us in this current struggle. May God carry us to our destination.
“Many people are even ranting on social media concerning the struggle, they need to join and support. What we are currently having now is awareness and peaceful rallies across southwest states.
“Don’t think we are joking, what we are pursuing now is Yoruba Nation. I’m not the only one fronting the Yoruba Nation Agenda right now; there are many powerful people who I have been meeting and working with underground.”
