Professor Banji Akintoye weekend said he’s in the Benin Republic in solidarity with Yoruba Nation Activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called “Ighoho” and not on the run.
Media reports alleged that Akintoye has left Nigeria to escape the plots of the Nigerian Government to arrest him.
Akintoye, who is the leader of self-determination group, Ilana Omo Oodua has denied reports that he’s on the run.
According to him, he is not intimidated by the reported plot of the Federal Government to arrest him.
Akintoye in a statement said that he’s in Benin Republic to show solidarity with agitator, Sunday Igboho. He said this in a statement on Sunday titled, ‘I am in Republic of Benin with Sunday Igboho, not on the run – Akintoye.’
The 86-year-old professor of history was reacting to an exclusive report by Sunday PUNCH that the ex-Senate member in the Second Republic left Nigeria about three months ago when he uncovered plot by the regime of the President Muhammadu Buhari to arrest him.
Akintoye and embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho have been seen holding press conferences and rallies to champion the cause for the secession of Yoruba Nation.
Igboho, now in a detention facility in Cotonou, had been declared wanted by the Department of State Services for allegedly stockpiling arms to destabilise Nigeria under the pretext of Yoruba Nation, an allegation he denied.
This was after the secret police raided Igboho’s Ibadan around 1am on July 1, 2021, killed two of his associates and arrested 12.
Igboho had gone underground and escaped to Benin Republic but was apprehended on July 19, 2021 around 8pm while he tried to board a flight to Germany with his wife, Ropo.
In a statement on Sunday, Akintoye said he didn’t run away from Nigeria but had been in Benin Republic to ensure the release of Igboho.
The statement was signed by his Communications Manager, Maxwell Adeleye.
According to the statement, Akintoye said just like Ighoho, he has committed no offense against Nigerian laws to warrant being arrested, intimidated or harassed.
Adeleye quoted Akintoye as saying, “Myself, the President-General and Professor Wale Adeniran (Chairman) of Ilana Omo Oodua, are currently in the Republic of Benin as reported, but not on the run.
“We are here to supervise and coordinate, by all legal and other means, the struggle for the release of our son and patriot, Sunday Adeyemo, detained by the government.
“By demanding peaceful self-determination for the Yoruba Nation, I am not breaking any law, since self-determination is recognised by the International and Nigerian laws to be an inalienable right of every nationality, large or small, in the world.
“I have earned a solid reputation as a highly respectable advocate of a peaceful self-determination struggle. I have even written a book on the subject which is already being used as a manual by Yoruba self-determination advocates and organisations.
“Irrespective of what the Nigerian Government may be planning against me, I want to say without any fear or intimidation that I will be returning to Nigeria immediately Ighoho is released from the custody. I can’t be intimidated because I’ve not committed any offense, just like Sunday Igboho.”
The apex leader of the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye weekend said he’s in the Benin Republic in solidarity with Yoruba Nation Activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called “Ighoho” and not on the run.
Media reports alleged that Akintoye has left Nigeria to escape the plots of the Nigerian Government to arrest him.
But putting the records straight, his Communications Manager, Mr Maxwell Adeleye said that “Professor Akintoye is truly in the Republic of Benin, but not on the run, as widely reported.
Adeleye in a statement made available to the vanguard said that ” the Emeritus Professor of History said he is in the Francophone country to coordinate and supervise how to legally rescue the detained Yoruba Nation Activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called “Ighoho”, from government remand as soon as possible.
“Akintoye, a member of the Nigerian Senate in the Second Republic like Ighoho has committed no offence against the Nigerian Laws to warrant being arrested, intimidated or harassed.
“Like a valiant soldier, Akintoye vowed to return to Nigeria as soon as Ighoho is released by the government of Benin Republic to continue the struggle for the actualisation of Yoruba Nation, saying “it is No Retreat, No Surrender”
“Myself, the President-General and Professor Wale Adeniran (Chairman) of Ilana Omo Oodua are currently in the Republic of Benin as reported, but not on the run.
“We are here to supervise and coordinate, by all legal and other means, the struggle for the release of our son and patriot, Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, detained by the Government from custody.
“By demanding peaceful self-determination for the Yoruba Nation, I am not breaking any law, since self-determination is recognized by the International and Nigerian laws to be an inalienable right of every Nationality, large or small, in the world.
“I have earned a solid reputation as a highly respected advocate of a peaceful self-determination struggle. I have even written a book on the subject which is already being used as a manual by Yoruba self-determination advocates and organizations.
“Irrespective of what the Nigerian Government may be planning against me, I want to say without any fear or intimidation that I will be returning to Nigeria immediately Ighoho is released from custody. I can’t be intimidated because I’ve not committed any offence, just like Sunday Igboho.
“Let me tell all Yoruba People across the world that there’s no cause for alarm. I didn’t flee anywhere. I am in the Benin Republic running your errands. The struggle is no retreat, no surrender.
Akintoye also debunked the media reports that Igboho has been abandoned, and that the Activist is personally funding the court cases against the Governments of Nigeria and the Benin Republic to secure his (Ighoho) and his aides’ release.
According to him “socio-cultural and self-determination groups within and beyond the shores of Nigeria under my supervision paid for every dime spent in Cotonou, Lagos and Abuja respectively till date on the court cases.”
He said “the only court case not under my co-ordination and supervision, and which the Yoruba socio-cultural and self-determination Groups are not paying for is the one in Ibadan High Court, Oyo State.
The statement added that “The Lawyer handling the Ibadan case, Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN, said we should leave it to him, and that we should not bother on the funding, but the Yoruba Groups and Patriots under my supervision are completely responsible for the funding of the court cases in Abuja, Lagos and Cotonou”.
