Yoruba rights activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho has asked for forgiveness from the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over a statement he made about the monarch’s visit to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Igboho, who had issued an ultimatum for Fulani herdsmen to vacate Oyo State over their alleged criminal activities, had criticised the monarch saying he failed to tell the President the truth about the crisis during the visit.
Speaking on Wednesday morning at a virtual ‘Townhall With Yoruba In Diaspora’ monitored by The PUNCH, Igboho expressed surprise that the monarch decided to tackle him instead.
He said, “When Ooni met with Buhari over the herdsmen issue, Ooni should have told Buhari the truth but he did not. When Ooni returned, he started tackling me to leave the remaining task to the government to finish. You can imagine that kind of talk?
“Alaafin of Oyo has asked me to meet him over the matter. Alaafin should have been the one invited to meet Buhari but since the Ooni was invited, he should be bold to tell the President the whole truth and make the demands of the Yoruba people known to the President.
“The Ooni disappointed himself. Some politicians are behind Ooni’s latest move. He invited me to his palace but I refused to go. I would have gone if he had represented us well but he did not. I won’t honour any monarch who does not cooperate with me. Enough is enough, the Fulani have done enough.”
Hours after the town hall meeting, Igboho, in an interview with Isokan Omo Oodua TV monitored by The PUNCH, denied insulting the monarch.
He, however, begged for forgiveness if whatever he said appeared as an insult to the monarch whom he described as a father to him.
“They said I insulted the Ooni of Ife. I and the monarch, as well as the Olugbon, have spoken on the phone,” he said.
He continued, “The Yoruba tradition doesn’t permit the insult of elders. But because I was pained by the issue, my tongue was caught up in the moment. I spoke according to how pained I was. It wasn’t the Ooni alone I directed my words at, I also did to other elders.
“It’s a case of father and child. I and the monarch have spoken as well as the Olugbon. I did not insult the Ooni. And if it appears as if I did, he should forgive me.”