Popular businessman and socio-cultural activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Igboho, is currently in the eye of the storm and has been at the centre of news in the past few weeks based on his agitation for a Yoruba nation and the ultimatum issued to Fulani herdsmen in the Ibarapa and Oke Ogun areas of Oyo State.
For Sunday Adeyemo, the increasing spate of killings and kidnappings of the residents of Oke Ogun and Ibarapa is the handiworks of herders, hence the ultimatum that he issued to herdsmen in the zones to vacate the areas within seven days.
Despite the warnings by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State against the quit notice given to Fulanis by Igboho, the latter invaded Igangan on Friday, resulting in the exit of the Fulanis in the community. The quit notice issued to the herders also resulted in the exit of Salihu Abdukadir, the Seriki Fulani of Igangan.
While Adeyemo is known for in different ways by different people, latest events have shown the activism spirit of the prominent Oyo State-based businessman.
Looking at him, from a side of the prism, Sunday Adeyemo is an acclaimed Yoruba activist.
Born on October 10, 1972 in Igboho town, Oke-Ogun, some people describe him as a notorious political thug in Ibadan.
The warlike man was nicknamed after his hometown, Igboho, as a result of his fame and courageous disposition to life. His fame soared following his role in the Modakeke-Ife communal crisis in 1997, while defending the Modakeke people.
Sunday ‘Igboho’ Adeyemo is perceived as having immense metaphysical ability to command a gun from the air, an action several residents of Oyo State claimed to have witnessed in the past.
Despite the many assumptions and fables built around him, Adeyemo however, holds that he does not see himself as a troublemaker, but a human rights activist.
During a recent interview, he recalled how Governor Makinde consulted him to have his support during the governorship election in the state, saying, “How would the governor ask me not to rise to the defense of my people while they are being killed everyday and our women are being raped with their farmlands being destroyed with reckless abandon?”
In an interview with Nigerian Tribune, Adeyemo said, “People just shout Sunday Igboho, Sunday Igboho — Who can say he saw me in a public fight? Who can say he has seen me cheat or oppress people? If you hit my car, I tell you to go because if I did anything untoward, people would say I was oppressing such a person because of my personality.”
Igboho might have seen himself as defender of human rights but folks in Oyo and Osun State understand that the fear of Sunday Igboho and his boys is the beginning of wisdom.
Beyond stretching forth his hand into the air to conjure a gun, he reportedly sometimes moves on the street with a live snake coiled around his neck that further make people succumb to his acclaimed metaphysical strength.
Igboho was involved in the dirty politics between the late political leader, Lamidi Adedibu, and former Oyo State governor, Rashidi Ladoja. He supported Ladoja and acted as his bodyguard throughout the tussle.
He also led the camp of Ladoja in the violence that occurred then.
Ladoja was illegally impeached as Oyo governor in 2006 due to a political disagreement he had with the late Adedibu but was later reinstated after 11 months through a court order.
He said, “By nature, I’m a gentleman, but I hate cheating and injustice. I have my supporters who are loyal to me and who also believe in me, just as I believe in Ladoja and I was also loyal to him. Me and my supporters, who some people like to describe as Sunday Igboho’s boys, decided to fight the injustice against Ladoja.
“By nature, I’m not violent, but when the other party is not only being violent, but also being openly supported by ex-President Obasanjo, to the extent of even using police against Ladoja and his political interests, we had no choice than to fight back.
“When we decided to fight back, people now said Sunday Igboho and his boys were violent. When you give me a dirty slap, do you expect me to turn the other cheek to you or to run away? God forbid, I always fight for my right and I’m fearless and bold.”
Igboho had been variously accused of land grabbing with the allegation that he uses armed thugs against owners of land.
Adeyemo describes himself as the ‘Akoni Oodua,’ a title that means warrior of Yorubaland.
He once said in an interview with journalists, “Those who follow me are like my younger brothers and none of them can do anything unlawful. But the problem is most thugs and misguided youths cause trouble in my name. They do bad things and claim to be Sunday Igboho’s boys.
“I have never seen these people before; whenever they were arrested by the police and they are asked whether they could identify me, they then confess that they had never seen me before. I am a lawful person. Even when someone reports land-grabbers, I will tell people to go and call them and I will warn them to release the lands to their rightful owners.”
His arrest has been ordered by the Federal Government following his visit to Igangan community on Friday.
Sunday Adeyemo, now on the wanted list, is a politician and Chairman of Adeson International Business Concept Limited.
He started off as a motorcycle repairer before venturing into automobiles selling cars before starting Adeson business Concept. He is married to two wives and has children, including three professional footballers in Germany.
-thestreetjournal
