After a two-year ordeal of incarceration in Benin Republic, Sunday Adeyemo, the prominent Yoruba Nation activist known as Sunday Igboho, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to a group of prominent Yoruba leaders and traditional rulers who played a pivotal role in securing his release from Benin Republic.
Among these eminent figures were former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Banji Akintoye, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, and several others.
Sunday Igboho’s journey to freedom began on Monday, July 19, 2021, when he was apprehended at Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) while en route to Germany.
This followed a raid on his Soka residence in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, by the Department of State Services, which had accused him of stockpiling weapons.
In a statement posted on his Instagram handle, Igboho confirmed his release and extended his gratitude to these Yoruba leaders and traditional rulers who contributed significantly to his freedom.
In his statement titled “My Release in Benin Republic,” Igboho conveyed his appreciation: “My sincere appreciation goes to God almighty, the master of the universe for making this day. I want to say a big thank you to all Yoruba sons and daughters all over the world for their love and support before and after the loss of my dear mother, though she’s still kept at the morgue, waiting for me to come and give her the befitting burial that she deserves.”
Read also:Sunday Igboho released from Beninese custody, set to return to Nigeria
He went on to express his gratitude to President Talon of Benin Republic and his cabinet, as well as his heroic father, Professor Banji Akintoye, and Professor Wole Soyinka for their unwavering support throughout his ordeal.
Igboho stated, “You promised to stand by me through my ordeal in Benin Republic and you have fulfilled your promise.”
Sunday Igboho also made special mention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Baba Ayo Adebanjo for their roles, acknowledging that ultimately, freedom comes from God.
He thanked religious leaders, pastors, Muslim clerics, and traditional worshippers for their ceaseless prayers, and he acknowledged the love and support of the royal fathers, Obas, and Chiefs in Yoruba land.
In a hopeful note, Igboho hinted at his return to Nigeria: “I am now free to return to Nigeria and visit any country in the world. I have fulfilled all the legal conditions attached to my bail a few years back, and I am coming home to Nigeria, my country of origin, any moment from now.
“I can confirm to you that I am now free to come back to Nigeria. There is no legal encumbrance again. Even though I have been living in Cotonou for some time, I can confirm to you categorically that I have now secured the liberty to leave Cotonou for Nigeria.”
Confirming Igboho’s release, one of his counsels, Yomi Aliyu, SAN, stated, “I can confirm that he has left Benin Republic. Other than filing the case that awarded N200.5 billion, I did nothing. It was the case that revealed that the Nigerian government had no case against him, leading to removing him from prison and putting him under house arrest.”
