Leaders Demand Sunday Igboho’s Unconditional Release, Reaffirm Stand on Cultural Sovereignty
Leaders of the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement (YSDM) have renewed their demand for the unconditional release of Yoruba Nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, while calling for stronger cultural protection, unity, and legislative reforms to secure Yoruba interests.
The call was made on Friday in Ibadan during a press conference convened by the group, where issues of ethnic identity, political marginalisation, and economic sovereignty took centre stage.
Addressing journalists, the Deputy Leader (Homeland) of YSDM, Arc. Opeoluwa Akinola, described Igboho’s continued restriction as both unjust and politically orchestrated. He accused the Nigerian government of double standards in handling security concerns across the country.
According to him, Igboho’s only “crime” was his vocal resistance to killings, kidnappings, and assaults allegedly carried out by suspected Fulani herders across Yorubaland. He said the activist had become a victim of his own courage to defend his people.
“The travails of Chief Sunday Adeyemo, otherwise known as Sunday Igboho, must be revisited by this government,” Akinola declared. “He has vigorously and selflessly campaigned against the killing, maiming, raping, and kidnapping of Yoruba sons and daughters.”
He recalled how operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) invaded Igboho’s residence in Ibadan in 2021, during which some of his aides were killed, many others arrested, and properties destroyed.
“The Directorate of State Services illegally invaded his house, killed his people, incarcerated many of his relatives, and forced him into exile, where he was imprisoned for months at the instance of the Nigerian government,” Akinola recounted.
He noted that despite these ordeals, no court has found Igboho guilty of theft, robbery, murder, or kidnapping, yet his bank accounts remain frozen and his assets under government seizure.
“Chief Adeyemo cannot move freely in Yorubaland, his fatherland. What a cruel irony!” he lamented. “We implore the Nigerian government to free his assets, remove the lien on his bank accounts, and take his name out of the WANTED list.”
The YSDM leader further accused the government of selective justice, pointing out that “foreign Fulani elements” continue to commit violent crimes in the Southwest without facing consequences.
While addressing cultural issues, Akinola condemned the recurring claim that Lagos is “No Man’s Land.” He described the assertion as provocative and a deliberate attempt to erode Yoruba heritage and ownership of the state.
“This assertion has provoked the anger of Lagosians and all who respect their heritage,” he said. “It is a direct affront to Yoruba identity and must be resisted collectively.”
Citing the electoral victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Akinola said the outcome was a strong demonstration of Yoruba ownership of Lagos, stressing that political victories should translate into legislative actions that safeguard indigenous rights.
“Sanwo-Olu’s win is a clear affirmation of our ownership of Lagos,” he declared. “It must go beyond celebration and reflect in policies that prioritize the welfare of Yoruba people.”
Turning to security concerns, Akinola decried the increasing wave of kidnappings and violent attacks on farmers and rural dwellers across Yorubaland. He argued that urgent protective laws must be enacted to guarantee the safety of indigenous residents.
“We demand that laws be enacted to protect the interests of indigenous people,” he said. “Our farmers and families cannot continue to live under constant threats of violence.”
On the subject of governance and cultural preservation, he emphasized that laws passed by the House of Assembly should henceforth be translated into Yoruba language to strengthen cultural identity and ensure accessibility.
“We must ensure that laws passed by the assembly are translated into Yoruba language,” he stated. “This is crucial in maintaining our heritage in governance.”
On economic rights, Akinola proposed a regulation to safeguard Yoruba control of local markets, suggesting that non-indigenes should not occupy more than 40 percent of market spaces.
“This measure is to protect Yoruba economic interests and ensure that our people are not displaced in their own land,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s political history, he pointed to the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, won by the late Basorun Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, as a prime example of systemic oppression against the Yoruba.
“The denial of Abiola’s presidency exemplifies the long-standing marginalisation we face in this country,” he lamented.
In his closing remarks, Akinola urged Yoruba people to remain united in their demands for justice, dignity, and cultural preservation. He insisted that Yoruba land belongs to its people and must be defended at all costs.
“Lagos is and will always be Yorubaland,” he said firmly. “We must enact laws that protect our heritage and ensure our rightful place in this land.”
The press conference ended with a renewed pledge by the group to continue mobilising Yoruba people at home and in the diaspora until their rights are fully recognised within the Nigerian federation.