Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari told him early this year to warn Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo alias Sunday Igboho to keep a calm head.
The Ooni told BBC Yoruba in a recent interview that Sunday Igboho did not listen to those who really had his interest at heart.
Sunday Igboho started out as an activist for people in the south-west against Fulani herdsmen whose animals were destroying farmlands and who were allegedly attacking farmers and raping women.
“God will stay with Sunday Igboho, he grew up in Ife, all that he has become today, started from Ife. Ife and Modakeke all belong to Ife land. He is a son of the soil,” Ooni said in his interview.
“But how he started, he wanted to fight for his kinsmen where he came from. He stood up and fought for those killed in Oke Ogun. We thank God for preserving his life. He tried his best but when he started receiving different advice from people, it overwhelmed him.
“I visited President Buhari on his case and we discussed it. I told him that Igboho is our son, he advised us to warn him to stay calm and exercise patience but Igboho did not listen.
“Many people advised him wrongly. He listened to them. He started abusing everyone, including monarchs.”
The monarch said that after meeting Buhari he called Yoruba leaders and other traditional rulers together to advise Sunday Igboho but he would not listen.
“He hurled so many bad words but he is still our son. God owns forgiveness. We’ve forgiven him. If he had listened, he wouldn’t have found himself in his current travail.
“We are trying our best to secure his release. Who can fight with the government? You’ve to be smart and use your senses to get your rights from the government, not by shouting,” he said.
Sunday Igboho is being detained in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
