Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has been in the news lately following his agitation for a Yoruba nation and subsequent clash with the Fulani community in Oyo State,following the detsruction of property and farmland by the Fulani herdsmen.
In light of the spate of insecurity in Oyo state, as well as generally in the South-west, resulting from banditry and kidnapping activities, he issueda seven-day ultimatum within which the Fulani herdsmen should leave the areas of the state they occupy.
Mr Igboho alleged that these Fulani herdsmen were to be held responsible for the killings and kidnappings of the residents of Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas of Oyo state.
Similarly, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state, had issued an ultimatum for the Fulani herdsmen to leave the state. The only difference between both ultimatums being that Mr. Akeredolu possesses actual legitimate power and authority for such.
Mr. Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo state, however appealed to his people to maintain peace, warning against ousting of Fulani herdsmen who had cited their constitutional rights to reside in any part of Nigeria that they decide.
Sunday Igboho did not seem to get the memo though, as he took some of his ‘boys’ on Friday, 22nd January to the Igangan community of Oyo state, an atack leading to the clash between some Yoruba youth and Fulani in the community.
SUNDAY IGBOHO’S BACKGROUND
Mr Igboho is an acclaimed Yoruba activist who is inversely regarded as a ‘political thug’ in Ibadan. He was born on October 10 in 1972, at Igboho town (hence the name “Sunday Igboho”), located in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State.
He received acclaim and notoriety following his role in the Modakeke-Ife communal crisis in 1997, in which he played an active role.
Sunday Igboho was involved in the combative politics between late political leader, Lamidi Adedibu, and former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja. He was the bodyguard to Mr. Ladoja at the time, and as such was very loyal to him.
Mr. Igboho has said of his involvement in the clash that while he is an easy going and relatively peaceful man, he “never subscribed to the cheating of fellow human by those who considered themselves as superiors”.
It is with this same philosophy that he has taken it upon himself to avenge the destruction and unrest wreaked upon his people by the Fulani herdsmen. So far, he and his minions have had a successful run in dealing violently with the herdsmen and driving them away from the parts of Oyo state they were in.
This however poses a problem in the sense that if and when legitimacy is given to such acts of vigilante defense, it is only a matter of time before the vigilantes transcend the borders of anti-heroism and eventually, villainy.
There are claims and reports that the government has sought the arrest of Sunday Igboho, however nothing tangible as come of it as of yet. But the questions stand: “Do we really need a Sunday Igboho? Do we want a Sunday Igboho? Could that be the key to making the government more accountable?”
Time alone can, and will tell, the answers to these questions. In the meantime, all we can do is pray and observe.
By Oluwamayowa Akinyemi
Oluwamayowa Akinyemi is a digital and web content developer with experience in web content development and management as well as research and writing. He is an avid reader of random subject matters and a sucker for movies and video games. He is also passionate about youth empowerment and is a global affairs analyst and enthusiast.