Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, the man known far and wide as Sunday Igboho, has once again tasted freedom in the Republic of Benin. His arrest, a dramatic escape from Nigerian police two years ago, and his recent release have all added a twist to this ongoing saga.
Igboho, the fervent advocate for Yoruba ethnic group independence, found himself in hot water when Benin authorities apprehended him back in October 2021 as he attempted to embark on a journey to Germany. They leveled charges of “associating with criminals” against him. Last year, his legal team claimed he was conditionally released for medical treatment, but he remained confined within Benin’s borders.
In a sudden turn of events, his lawyer, Ibrahim Salami, broke the news, stating, “He has been freed and he has left Benin.” The exact circumstances surrounding his release remain a mystery as Benin officials have remained tight-lipped.
Igboho’s gratitude was evident in a social media video where he thanked Benin President Patrice Talon, a former Nigerian president, and Nobel prize winner Wole Soyinka for their support. However, his exact whereabouts remained undisclosed.
“To all our political class and all our Yorubaland, let’s join our hands to make Yoruba great,” he exclaimed in the video, leaving many wondering about the next chapter in his controversial journey.
This saga began with a dramatic hour-long gun battle as Nigerian security officials raided Igboho’s home in Oyo State in October 2021, only for him to miraculously escape. They claimed to have discovered weapons and apprehended 12 men and one woman, alleging that these findings were “confirmation of a grand plan by Igboho and his cohorts to wage a violent insurrection against the Nigerian State.”
The Yoruba-Agigator is back on the scene, leaving us all to ponder whether he has indeed learned any lessons from his tumultuous journey.
