Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has called on President Bola Tinubu to caution Vice President Kashim Shettima regarding his recent remarks about leader of the British Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch.
In a statement released on Sunday in Osogbo, Sunday Igboho responded to Shettima’s criticism of Badenoch, who earlier spoke about corruption in Nigeria and distanced herself from being associated with Northern Nigeria.
The Yoruba Nation agitator defended Badenoch, saying she did not err in highlighting corruption as a major issue hindering Nigeria’s development.
He urged Tinubu to step in to prevent further verbal attacks, emphasising the need for tolerance of differing perspectives.
“It is incumbent on President Bola Tinubu, who is also of Yoruba lineage, to direct Shettima to focus on his duties as vice president rather than engage in a verbal war against Badenoch. She merely expressed her candid and truthful opinion on the pervasive corruption in Nigeria’s system,” Sunday Igboho said.
Drawing comparisons to the previous administration, he added, “When Muhammadu Buhari was in power, nobody dared launch offensive or verbal attacks against his Fulani ethnic group without facing consequences.
“Because of my agitation against the destruction of farmlands, killings, and sexual violence by Fulani herders during Buhari’s tenure, security agents, on his orders, stormed my residence on July 1, 2021, killing two people and arresting 13 others.”
Sunday Igboho criticised the Federal Government for its failure to address the challenges plaguing Nigerians including economic hardship, poverty, kidnapping and insecurity. Instead of focusing on these pressing issues, he said, Shettima chose to target Badenoch.
“Majority of Nigerians are experiencing harrowing poverty and insecurity, yet the Federal Government remains lost in finding solutions. Rather than deploying measures to alleviate the suffering of the masses, the Vice President is busy directing his energy toward Badenoch,” he stated.
Sunday Igboho further said, “When has it become a sin for someone to express their opinion or state the obvious about how corruption has stunted Nigeria’s growth?
“Badenoch, proclaiming her true identity as Yoruba, has committed no offence. The Vice President should concentrate on his responsibilities instead of chasing shadows.”
In August 2021, Badenoch’s late father Olufemi Adegoke said Sunday Igboho had the right to call for secession of the Yoruba ethnic group from Nigeria.
During an interview with BBC Yoruba, Adegoke, who was president of Voice of Reason (VOR), a group of Yoruba professionals advocating for good governance in Nigeria, said Sunday Igboho was “brave” but criticised his alleged endorsement of violence.
