The name, Sunday Igboho, like a “plague”, continues to spread with everything he does or says especially with regards to the killings by armed Fulani Herdsmen in the South and of recent, the declaration of Yoruba Independence from Nigeria.
On the 18th of March, Sunday Igboho declared the independence of the Yoruba Nation (Oduduwa Republic) from Nigeria. According to him, the Yorubas are no longer under Nigeria.
In his words;
“As it stands now, we are no longer under Nigeria. If they don’t intervene, it will go beyond control. We have gone beyond the point where we keep quiet; we are no longer scared to voice out.”
“We are not safe anywhere, we can’t sleep in peace, we can’t travel in peace, what have we done? Are we slaves? We don’t do wrong by existing, we only chose the wrong leaders and we are saying enough is enough!”
Sunday Igboho’s name has refused to leave everyone’s lips since he gave the armed Fulani Herders a seven-day ultimatum to leave the Southwest in reaction to the killings and attacks on locals in the region.
Sunday Igboho, the Yoruba activist also decried the high-level nepotism being orchestrated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari especially in the area of heads of strategic agencies and department of the country.
“Tincan in Lagos, Apapa, the directors are Fulani men. The two ports we have, the controllers are Fulanis. We don’t want them anymore!”
Sunday Igboho’s actions and his recent declaration of Yoruba Independence has attracted a wide range of reactions on social media. While some believe that he is being used by the Southwest hierarchy and will be dumped later, others believe that he’s the mouthpiece of some Southwest leaders who have been afraid to speak against the Federal Government.
What are the implications of Sunday Igboho’s action?
1. Ethnic Identity Crisis
It is not the case that all natives of Yoruba living in the Southwest are actual Yorubas. Some people have mixed ethnic parents, a Yoruba Father and a Hausa Mother Vice Versa. Some Yorubas born in the North, while others migrated there. How do such people place their identity?
2. Potential War
The declaration of Yoruba Independence seems to have fallen on the deaf eyes of the Federal Government. However, if the Federal Government denies or fails to recognise independence, another civil war might be looming.
3. Currency
A new currency will have to form by a new Central Bank and it will take a while for it to be recognised and accepted in the global market. Even local trade and commerce will be drastically affected because it will need time to adjust to the new currency.
4. Passport
If the declaration is eventually recognised, it renders the current Nigerian Passport useless and holders of the passport abroad will have a difficult time applying for Passports from their various locations.
It remains to be seen how things will be pan out but one question that needs an answer is, “Is Sunday Igboho speaking the minds of all the Yorubas?”
