Youth across southwest disown Igboho

As Afenifere, Ilana Omo Oodua, Ooni of Ife and Olubadan of Ibadan bombarded Beninese court with their delegates from across the southwest—in defence of Nigeria’s currently wanted Sunday Adeyemo Igboho—some rebellion is rising against the fawning by the Yoruba leaders.

Youths from the 17 states in the south insist the Yoruba Nation agitator is a crook that must face trial.

The youth, under the aegis of Southern Youth Forum (SYF), said that the political  narratives about   Igboho’s arrest and  his possible extradition to Nigeria should worry Nigerians.

John Atani (Southsouth),  Fidelis Nze (Southeast) and   Oladimeji Odeyemi (Southwest), leaders of the group, said Igboho is not a freedom fighter, but a known political thug, smuggler, and land grabber.

“As youths, we don’t think leaders who vowed to protect the sanctity of our Constitution should fold their hands and look away while some inept clout-chasers destroy the legacy of our heroes past when they actually possess passports of other countries,’ they said at a press conference in Lagos July 27.

“You can’t incite war in a multi-diverse country like Nigeria and not be there when the battle commends. Our findings indicate that the said Igboho was using his one-man show for personal gains but we trust that the law will take its due course on his matter when he is eventually extradited to Nigeria.

“The same man does not have his wife and children in Nigeria. What kind of mouthpiece was that?

“Those pushing Igboho on are aware of his antecedents as a political thug, a serial smuggler and land grabber, but they decided to deodorise him with the nomenclature of a freedom fighter to serve their interests, which is largely political.

“It beats our imagination that even those considered to be educated view Igboho as a Yoruba freedom fighter.

Time will tell on those staying in United States, Europe, and other parts of the world who are giving moral and financial support to such a known social misfit.

“For us, this freedom fighter is not our freedom fighter.   Igboho and his cohorts must surely face the full wrath of our laws.”

Igboho has spent seven days in Beninese detention and more charges have been levelled against him.