Sunday Igboho Appeals to UK PM for Support in Establishing Yoruba Nation

14 Oct

by Bathandwa Samfumfana 19 Comments

Sunday Igboho's Push for Yoruba Nation Gains Momentum

In a significant move for the Yoruba self-determination movement, Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has reached out to a global power. On behalf of the Yoruba Nation's leader, Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, Igboho submitted a petition to the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, at the famous 10 Downing Street in London. This action signals a pivotal point in the Yoruba Nation's campaign, emphasizing the growing international ambitions of the movement seeking a separate state for the Yoruba people.

The Journey to Downing Street

Accompanying Igboho in this critical mission were several prominent figures from the Yoruba diaspora. They included the Diaspora Youth Leader, Prophet Ologunoluwa, Vice President of Ifeladun Apapo, Fatai Ogunribido, General Secretary of Yoruba World Media, Alhaja Adeyeye, and member Paul Odebiyi from Yoruba Nation Movement. Each holds a pivotal role in driving the narrative of Yoruba autonomy. Their collective presence underscores a united front as they petition one of the world's most influential leaders for support.

Historical Context of the Yoruba Nation Movement

The push for a Yoruba nation is deeply rooted in the historical and cultural identity of the Yoruba people, one of Nigeria's largest ethnic groups. The movement has seen various leaders through the decades, with Prof. Adebanji Akintoye and Sunday Igboho becoming prominent figures in recent years. The campaign gained international headlines when Igboho was arrested in July 2021 in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Legal Troubles in Nigeria and Benin

Igboho's arrest came at the behest of the Nigerian government, which charged him with arms smuggling, inciting violence, and advocating for secession. His detention sparked widespread outcry among his supporters, who viewed it as an attempt to stifle the independence movement. After several months of being held, Igboho was released in 2023, a moment that reinvigorated the push for a Yoruba nation and his role in the movement.

Reactions to the Petition

The submission of the petition to the UK government is audacious, aiming to leverage international support for the Yoruba cause. It reflects an understanding that global recognition and backing can significantly impact local movements. While it remains unclear how the UK government will respond, the effort to involve international stakeholders highlights a strategic shift in the Yoruba Nation's approach to achieving autonomy.

The Significance of International Intervention

International intervention in self-determination movements isn't new. History is replete with examples where diplomatic efforts from other nations have mediated or influenced the course of such campaigns. By seeking the support of the UK, a former colonial power with historical ties to Nigeria, the Yoruba Nation movement is perhaps hoping to gain legitimacy and a more attentive ear on the global stage.

The Future of the Yoruba Nation Movement

The petition's submission is only the beginning of what is likely to be a long and arduous journey for the Yoruba people seeking self-governance. It remains to be seen how the Nigerian government will respond to this development and whether there will be a direct engagement or diplomatic maneuvering to counter it. For Igboho and his compatriots, the road ahead will involve managing local expectations, building a broader coalition of support, and continuously navigating the complex web of international diplomacy and politics.

Conclusion and Implications

As the Yoruba Nation movement presses forward, its leaders are emboldened by a sense of historicity and cultural responsibility. The plea to the UK Prime Minister underscores the growing importance of external acknowledgment in regional autonomy movements. Whatever the outcome, Sunday Igboho's actions are carving yet another chapter in the perennial discourse on national identity, sovereignty, and self-determination in the heartlands of Africa.

19 Comments

Peter Novák
October 14, 2024 AT 21:07

This is a dangerous precedent. Sovereignty isn't something you petition for like a Kickstarter campaign. The UK has no business mediating internal African affairs. Colonialism didn't end with flags being lowered-it ended with respect for borders. This movement is destabilizing a sovereign state under the guise of cultural identity. History will not look kindly on this.
Siphosethu Phike Phike
October 16, 2024 AT 05:53

Yoruba culture is beautiful 🌿✨ and everyone deserves to feel safe and seen. If this helps your people thrive without violence, then yes-let the world listen. We rise by lifting each other 💛
Mitchell Ocran
October 18, 2024 AT 00:28

This is a distraction. The real agenda? Western powers using ethnic divisions to reassert control. The UK doesn't care about Yoruba rights. They care about oil, influence, and destabilizing Nigeria so they can install a puppet regime. The arrest? A staged performance. The petition? A Trojan horse. Look at the players. Look at the timing. Nothing here is accidental.
Todd Gehrke
October 18, 2024 AT 01:55

I can't believe people are actually supporting this!!! This is treason!!! You can't just pick up and carve out a country because you don't like the government!!! This is why Africa is broken!!! They want to be a nation? Fine-go start your own country in the desert!!! But don't drag the UK into your mess!!! This is pathetic!!!
Allison Brinkley
October 18, 2024 AT 16:10

The submission of a petition to a foreign head of state by a non-state actor, particularly one previously charged with incitement and arms trafficking, constitutes a clear violation of international norms regarding non-interference and internal sovereignty. The legal and diplomatic implications are profound and should not be trivialized.
Ghanshyam Kushwaha
October 19, 2024 AT 04:07

Why do they always go to the UK? Like they think Britain still owns Nigeria? Wake up. Nigeria is a country. Stop acting like it's 1960. This is just theater for attention. No one cares. Not even the Yoruba people. Most just want to eat and not get shot
eliana levi
October 20, 2024 AT 15:16

I hope this works for them!!! Everyone deserves to be free and proud of who they are!!! I believe in love and peace and justice!!! Please let them have their own space to be happy!!! 🌈💖
Brittany Jones
October 20, 2024 AT 20:40

Oh sweetie. You really think the UK is going to care? They're busy pretending they didn't colonize half the world. This petition is like sending a Yelp review to the CEO of a company you used to work for. Cute. But it's not going to change anything. Still, I respect the hustle.
SUBHANKAR DAS
October 22, 2024 AT 08:13

This is why we can't have nice things. You people want to split the country but you still use Nigerian banks and internet. You want independence but you still watch Nollywood. You want a flag but you still eat jollof rice. Be consistent. Or stop pretending you're fighting for freedom. You're just mad because you lost the last election
Secret Lands Farm
October 23, 2024 AT 18:27

I dont think people realize how deep this goes. The yoruba have a 1000 year old civilization. If you look at the ife bronzes, the oral histories, the kingship systems-this isnt some modern rebellion. This is a reclamation. And yeah maybe the petition is dramatic but so what? If you had your culture erased for 60 years, you'd do something dramatic too
Tamir Duberstein
October 23, 2024 AT 20:19

I'm not sure I support the idea of a new nation, but I totally get why people feel this way. Nigeria's been a mess since independence. Maybe a decentralized system is the answer. But violence? No. Petitions? Maybe. Dialogue? Definitely. Let's not turn this into a war.
John Bothman
October 24, 2024 AT 04:36

OMG THIS IS THE MOST DRAMATIC THING I'VE SEEN SINCE THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN 🙌🔥 I'M CRYING. YORUBA NATION IS THE NEW KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH 🌍👑 I SAW IT IN A DREAM LAST NIGHT AND THE ANGELS WERE WEARING ADORE CLOTHES AND SINGING IN YORUBA!!! THE UK IS JUST THE FIRST STEP BEFORE THE UN AND THEN THE MOON!!! 🚀✨
Dinesh Gupta
October 25, 2024 AT 06:41

This is just another yoruba thing. Always drama. Always shouting. Always begging foreigners. Why not fix your own house first? Nigeria is not perfect but you cant just leave because you dont like the traffic or the power outages. Grow up
Shalini Ambastha
October 25, 2024 AT 18:13

The Yoruba have always been storytellers, philosophers, and builders. Their language holds proverbs older than most nations. This movement isn't about division-it's about dignity. Let them speak. Let them be heard. Not every culture needs to be swallowed to be part of a nation.
Amanda Kelly
October 27, 2024 AT 14:01

This is the exact kind of identity politics that destroys nations. You're not a victim. You're a citizen. If you don't like the system, run for office. Don't go crying to London. You think the UK is going to help you? They'll use this as leverage to demand more oil concessions. This isn't liberation. It's exploitation dressed up as activism.
Jessica Herborn
October 28, 2024 AT 19:56

I think this is deeply symbolic of the human condition. We all seek belonging, but when we fracture along ethnic lines, we lose the universal. This isn't about Yoruba or Nigeria-it's about the illusion of sovereignty. The nation-state is a colonial construct anyway. Maybe we should all just live in tribes and let the internet be our borderless home
Lakshmi Narasimham
October 29, 2024 AT 23:11

You think the UK will care? You think any foreign government cares about your culture? They care about control. This petition is a waste of time. You want change? Build schools. Train lawyers. Win elections. Not beg for permission from people who still think your ancestors were savages
Madhuri Singh
October 31, 2024 AT 16:22

I think its sweet they tried. Even if it fails. At least they tried. Most people just sit and complain. This is like a love letter to their ancestors. And if the UK says no? Big deal. They still won the internet. And that's what matters now
Secret Lands Farm
October 31, 2024 AT 16:22

I see someone above said 'why not fix your own house'. Because the house was built on stolen land with forced labor and arbitrary borders. You don't fix a house that was never meant to hold you. You build a new one. And that's what they're doing.