Yoruba Union Distances Self From Sunday Igboho Over Alleged Support For APC, Tinubu, Says Yoruba Lives Cannot Be Traded For Political Interests

Ikeja, Lagos State– The Yoruba Union, also known as Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has publicly distanced itself from Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, over his alleged endorsement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and campaign activities in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, declaring that the struggle for the liberation of the Yoruba people cannot be sacrificed for political interests.

The group said it would not be part of any move that trades the blood and suffering of hundreds of Yoruba people who have been killed or kidnapped for selfish political considerations.

In a statement signed by the Convener of the group, Olusola Badero, and released through its Home Director, Princess Balogun, the Yoruba Union said it had received numerous inquiries from Yoruba people both at home and in the diaspora seeking clarification on whether the organisation was aligned with Igboho’s alleged support for the ruling APC and the Tinubu administration.

According to the statement, the organisation felt compelled to clarify its position and distance itself from what it described as Igboho’s “selfish act” of abandoning the Yoruba Nation agitation to support a government whose policies, it claimed, have worsened the hardship faced by Nigerians.

“We unequivocally distance ourselves from Sunday Igboho’s selfish act of abandoning Yoruba Nation agitation to come out publicly to campaign for APC and its agent, whose policies have pushed millions of our people into poverty and economic hardship while insecurity has taken centre stage,” the group said.

The Yoruba Union said the agitation for the emancipation and sovereignty of the Yoruba people had always been built on sacrifice, commitment, and genuine dedication to the welfare of the people, stressing that many individuals had paid heavy prices for their involvement in the struggle.

“Those who laid down their lives to follow the agitation with genuine intentions were killed in the process. Some are languishing in prison today, while thousands of Yoruba people in the diaspora contributed massively to the Yoruba Nation struggle.

“However, overnight someone wakes up and uses his left leg to throw away all the efforts and sacrifices of people who, one way or another, contributed to the emancipation of Yoruba Nation,” the group stated.

The group recalled several painful incidents of violence in Yoruba communities, alleging that many residents had suffered attacks from Fulani extremists.

According to the Yoruba Union, women had been raped, husbands butchered, and children left orphaned as communities across the South-West struggled with insecurity.

It added that several communities in the South-West, including parts of Kwara and Kogi states, had been deserted as residents fled repeated attacks.

“Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá recalls how some women were raped by Fulani extremists, how their husbands were butchered, how their children became orphans, and how entire communities across the South-West, including Kwara and Kogi core communities, were deserted because of these attacks.”

The group expressed shock that despite the scale of suffering and sacrifices made by many Yoruba people in the struggle, Igboho shifted allegiance and aligned himself with political actors whose leadership period, it claimed, coincided with worsening insecurity.

“Despite how our people have been killed and kidnapped and the huge sacrifices made by concerned Yoruba people, Igboho overnight jumped ship from the oppressed Yoruba people and joined a camp with those under whose watch our people were being killed and kidnapped, yet the killing and kidnapping only got worse,” the group stated.

The Yoruba Union also recalled the period when Igboho was arrested and detained in the Republic of Benin, saying Yoruba activists and supporters contributed significant resources to secure his release.

According to the group, the support was coordinated through platforms including Maiyegun Diary, with many Yoruba people at home and abroad donating funds toward the effort.

“Agitation for emancipation and sovereignty is a sacrifice on its own. When Sunday Igboho was incarcerated in the Republic of Benin, Yoruba Union, through Maiyegun Diary, contributed millions to get him out.

“With our people’s efforts, he later downplayed those sacrifices and bid farewell to the Yoruba Nation struggle,” Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá said.

While stressing that Igboho had the right as a citizen to join any political party of his choice, the group insisted that using the Yoruba Nation agitation to promote political campaigns or endorsements was unacceptable.

“We are not saying he does not have the right to join any political party of his choice. But using the Yoruba Nation struggle to orchestrate his agenda for campaigning or endorsing APC on the premise that Tinubu is a Yoruba man is what all sons and daughters with conscience should condemn and distance themselves from,” the group stated.

The Yoruba Union further lamented that actions by individuals entrusted with leadership in the struggle had weakened the trust and confidence of Yoruba people in the diaspora who had invested resources and support in the movement.

According to the group, many diaspora supporters were already losing faith in the agitation due to perceived betrayals.

“The reason many people in the diaspora no longer believe in investing in the Yoruba Nation struggle is because those they entrusted with responsibility have betrayed that trust and jeopardised the efforts and sacrifices of the people,” the group said.

The organisation said those who wished to follow Igboho into political campaigns were free to do so but urged Yoruba people to reflect on the realities facing the region under the current administration.

“To those who want to join Igboho, they are free to join him in campaigning for Tinubu. But we must ask ourselves as sons and daughters of Ọmọ Aládé: since Tinubu, who happens to be a Yoruba man, assumed office, has insecurity increased or reduced?

“Has the cost of living increased or reduced? Do Fulani herdsmen now have greater access to our communities or not?” the statement queried.

The group further criticised the anti-people policies by the current administration, alleging that critics had sometimes faced attacks or intimidation.

“What economic and security impact has the Tinubu administration rendered for our people? Instead, we have seen anti-people policies. At times security agents or even thugs are used to attack critics.

“Yet someone who refuses to consider all these indicators aligns with the oppressors and blames those who call him out for such actions, using Yoruba Nation as a tool to orchestrate his selfish agenda against the Yoruba people,” they said.

Reaffirming its commitment to the Yoruba cause, the Yoruba Union said the future and wellbeing of the Yoruba people remained its foremost priority.

The group stressed that it would never compromise the collective interest of the Yoruba people for personal or political gains.

“The future and wellbeing of our people are paramount to us, and we will never trade it for any individual or for political gratification,” the group added.

However, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá warned that history would ultimately judge those who betray the trust of the people.

“History has its way of dealing with betrayers. We will never betray the trust of our people on the pretext that our kinsman occupies a high position in the country and therefore we must support his actions against the wishes of our people simply because a few individuals may benefit from it.”