Yoruba Nation: Igboho Warns FG Against Intimidating British Envoy Over Petition
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Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, has cautioned the Federal Government against attempting to pressure British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, following his recent petition advocating for a sovereign Yoruba nation.
Igboho submitted a 25-page petition to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in London on Saturday, calling for international recognition of the Yoruba nation.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Igboho expressed concern over reports that the Nigerian government had summoned the British envoy, describing it as unnecessary and a move aimed at intimidation.
“The British government colonized Nigeria, and it is within our rights to petition them regarding our demand for a sovereign Yoruba nation,” Igboho said in the statement. He further pointed out that the amalgamation of Nigeria’s northern and southern protectorates in 1914 was a British decision, and that the Yoruba people have a right to seek secession over a century later, calling the union a “marriage of inconvenience.”
Igboho emphasized that the petition was submitted to the UK to serve as a formal document that could be referenced by the United Nations if the matter reaches an international stage. He noted that the response time for such petitions is typically around two weeks and that UK Prime Minister Starmer may not have reviewed the letter yet.
The activist reassured the Yoruba people that the government’s intimidation efforts would not derail the movement’s peaceful, non-violent pursuit of a Yoruba nation, urging them to remain calm and resolute.
“We will continue to seek international support and engage the global community in our push for self-determination,” the statement concluded.