Yoruba Nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, is set to return to Nigeria after years in self-exile.
His spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, confirmed that traditional rulers in the South West played a key role in securing his clearance for full freedom and reintegration.
Koiki named the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, among those instrumental in the process.
“This is a moment of joy for Ibadanland and Yorubaland as a whole. Chief Adeyemo is now cleared to return to Nigeria and is no longer being sought by government authorities. With the support of our royal father, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Sunday Adeyemo is now free to return home. He is a free man and will soon be back in Ibadan,” Koiki said.
In 2025, Igboho had publicly lamented his prolonged exile during a visit to the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Olusola Alao, in Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State.
He pleaded with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to remove his name from the wanted list, insisting he was not a criminal.
Igboho explained that he was declared wanted by the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s government for an unspecified offence.
The designation, he said, prevented him from using his Nigerian passport and denied him access to his bank accounts despite court rulings in his favour.
Activism and Arrest
Igboho rose to national prominence in January 2021 after issuing a seven-day eviction notice to herders in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, following the killing of prominent farmer Fatai Aborode.
On July 1, 2021, operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) stormed his Ibadan residence in a bid to arrest him. The raid led to a violent confrontation that left two of his associates dead.
Igboho fled to Benin Republic, intending to travel onward to Germany. He was arrested on July 19, 2021, at Cotonou airport while attempting to board a flight. He remained in detention for nearly two years before being released in March 2022.
In October 2024 (specifically around October 12, 2024), he led a group of Yoruba Nation activists and personally delivered a detailed 25-page petition to the office of the UK Prime Minister (at the time, Keir Starmer).
The petition called for the UK government to consider and support the creation of an independent Yoruba Nation (often referred to as Oduduwa Republic), effectively seeking international backing for the dissolution or secession from Nigeria.
It was submitted on behalf of figures like Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, a prominent Yoruba Nation leader.The event sparked reactions:
The Nigerian Federal Government downplayed it, stating that the UK did not endorse the petition and that it had no official impact.
The British High Commissioner in Nigeria described it as of “little significance,” and the UK government distanced itself, noting that petitions on the sovereign affairs of another country aren’t formally considered or supported in that way.
Widespread Support
His arrest and detention sparked outrage and protests across Nigeria, with many activists and community leaders calling for his release. He
Koiki’s latest statement expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, Yoruba monarchs, and Yoruba communities worldwide for their support during Igboho’s years away from home.
While no specific date has been announced for his return, arrangements are reportedly underway, and details will be made public soon.
He was detained for nearly two years before being released in March 2022. Koiki said arrangements are underway for his return, describing it as a moment of joy for Ibadanland and Yorubaland.
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