Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, has called on his people residing in the Northern part of the country to start returning back home.
Mr Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, gave the advice in a recent video clip circulating on social media where he spoke while in a meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The activist who said it was time for secession spoke using local language.
He made headlines when he ordered violent herdsmen residing in the South-West to relocate, saying the time to stop the pastoralists, often accused of perpetuating heinous acts nationwide, has come.
Igboho, whom security agencies attempted to pick up last month but failed, said he had the backing of leaders of the zone to continue what he was doing. He dared any king in the geo-political zone to grant a press conference denying his support and see if such a ruler will see the next day alive.
The transcript of his statement is reproduced below as translated by Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Aviation Minister, who said he was proud of the activist.
TRANSLATION:
“Why are we being slaves in our fathers’ land, why are we being enslaved in our own land? The people that call themselves senators and leaders will be going in traffic and see four and five year olds selling popcorn and puff-puff, and they will buy and eat, have you seen that they are not worthy to be called leaders, therefore we reject them as leaders.
The Yorubas that are everywhere are larger than most countries, therefore we call on the global community and United Nations, to come and separate us, we are no longer interested in being part of Nigeria, before this becomes war, they need to intervene, because we want to go.
As it stands now, we are no longer under Nigeria. If they don’t intervene, it will go beyond control. We have gone beyond the point where we keep quiet, we are no longer scared to voice out. We are not safe anywhere, we can’t sleep in peace, we can’t travel in peace, what have we done? Are we slaves?
We don’t do wrong by existing, we only chose wrong leaders and we are saying enough of enough! It’s tinker in Lagos, apapa, the directors are Fulani men. The two ports we have, the controllers are Fulanis we don’t want them anymore! Sene boarders we don’t want Fulanis there anymore!
When Baba finish talking now, we the yorubas here will have a crucial meeting, we are going to open the borders, let’s start allowing goods to enter!
The borders that NIGERIAN government closed, we are opening it all, we are no longer interested in being part of Nigeria!
Whatever you want to do to us, we are ready! I’m talking to ask Yoruba indigenes, you can stand aside and say there is no unity among us, but touch a single Yoruba man, you will see that we are united.
All our Kings are solidly behind us, any of them that want to deny should make a press conference, let’s see. He won’t see the light of the next day!
My advice to the Yorubas in the North is to find your way back home, start coming home, it is time! We have suffered enough, let’s not fight among each other, let’s Unite for a common cause, it is time to come home. That’s all I have to say”
– Sunday Igboho, Ibadan, 17th March, 2021.
