Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Sunday at Seme border enroute Cotonou, the capital city of the Republic of Benin, paid a sympathy visit to Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho.
According to Punch newspaper, the playwright was mobbed by a crowd while waiting to complete immigration formalities and was repeatedly asked where he was headed.
Meanwhile, the renowned playwright and essayist was said to have responded that he was on a visit to Igboho, to “break the Muslim fast with him.”
While being reminded through further probe that neither he nor Ighoho is a Muslim, Soyinka responded that it made no difference.
He added that he had wished to see Igboho, to sympathise with his predicament.
Soyinka noted, “Ramadan is as good as any other season to express non-denominational solidarity.”
Also present was the leader of the Umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Prof. Banji Akintoye.
It would be recalled that Soyinka had at a media interaction in Lagos August last year, urged the government of the Republic of Benin to release Igboho to continue his journey, noting that the activist committed no crime against Nigeria.
Igboho had advocated Yoruba nation to resist tyranny of Fulani herdsmen against his people in Oyo state.
It was reported that gun-toting officials of the Department of State Services on July 1, 2021, raided the Ibadan, Oyo state, home of Igboho, killed two and arrested 12 of his aides.
The activist later fled to the Republic of Benin but was arrested alongside his wife, Ropo, on July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjehoun Airport in Cotonou on their way to Germany.
Ropo was later freed and Igboho faced charges bordering on illegal migration and he sought asylum in the West African country to evade Federal Government’s request for his extradition, to face allegations of stockpiling arms which he denied.
The latest development as at March 2022 was his release from detention in Benin Republic on two conditions— that he won’t hold any rally and can’t leave Cotonou.
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