Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has shed more light why former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi intervened on the travails of embattled Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
Sunday Igboho is currently face trail in a Court in Benin Republic.
Amid Sunday Igboho’s travails, the Ooni of Ife set up a committee and Olubadan of Ibadanland sent a delegation to Benin Republic to observe one of the court proceedings.
On Saturday, Special Assistant on Media to Obasanjo, Kehinde Akinyemi confirmed that the former President Olusegun Obasanjo met with the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon last Monday.
Reacting to this development, Afenifere in a statement by its Organising Secretary, Apogun Kola Omololu on Sunday commended the Yoruba leaders for their intervention.
He said the Yoruba leaders intervened because they do not believe that Sunday Igboho will get justice if extradited to Nigeria from Benin Republic.
According to the statement, “Obasanjo is a Yoruba man first before becoming a president. Yoruba leaders are not noisemakers, they don’t make noise, they act. Look at the way we fought the NADECO battle, it was intellectually coordinated.
“Obasanjo won’t want Yorubaland to be disgraced. We all know that Federal Government is after the Yoruba nation, not Igboho. Obafemi Awolowo tried his best but was rolled into prison. MKO Abiola was killed.
“We want a bigger Nigeria that is working. It is restructuring or Yoruba Nation.
“Olubadan and Ooni are Yoruba men before they are Nigerians. They have to look after their children. They will not allow Sunday Igboho be extradited. This government is lawless, they believe in brutality, not legality.
“Sunday Igboho is a social crusader, not a terrorist. He is protecting his people after the government failed and he didn’t kill anyone throughout his agitation. He is after the criminals. Why is the government defending the criminals? Sunday should be treated as a hero.
“Obasanjo and the monarchs have shown that they are full-blooded Yoruba persons. We applaud Baba Obasanjo. God will continue to raise the Yoruba Nation up.
“We are peace-loving. If the Yoruba Nation is peaceful, every part of Nigeria will benefit from it. Nobody is now safe in Yorubaland, if they have the chance, they can attack Obasanjo too.
“This administration has divided Nigeria so much. We are praying that this administration should end soon. This government has destroyed so many things.
“Federal Government should be considerate now by the efforts of the Yoruba leaders. Obasanjo is the father of Africa and he must be respected”. (Sunday Independent)
