Leader of Yoruba Self-determination Movement Worldwide under the aegis of Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), Prof. Banji Akintoye, has called on all lovers of the Yoruba Nation and Chief Sunday Adeyemo is popularly known as Sunday Igboho in Nigeria to please refrain from going to Cotonou, the Republic of Benin for the Court proceedings, as the Yoruba activist is billed to be arraigned today to answer some charges by the Federal Government.
Igboho was arrested at the Cotonou airport and detained since last Monday in Cotonou, while trying to board a plane to Germany, having escaped from Nigeria, after he was declared wanted by the authorities.
Akintoye made the call through a statement titled: “Special appeal on court attendance for Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho,” issued on his behalf by a Legal Adviser, Barr. Olasupo Ojo, positing that making such trip to Cotonou might be rendered useless by the inadequate size of the Court Room in that country, even as he assured that adequate representation would be offered by the Yoruba Community in the Benin Republic, whom he said had been wonderful in their support.
This was just as the elder statesman promised that detailed reports of proceedings in court shall be made public after the court sittings, adding: “We crave the understanding of everyone in this sensitive matter.”
Besides, he assured that the best lawyers within the Republic of Benin and an International law expert from Paris, France had been assembled for the legal defence of Igboho, saying that they were all working well to the satisfaction of the group under his leadership “up till now.”
“We, therefore, urge all lovers of the Yoruba Nation and Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho Oosa in Nigeria to please refrain from going to Cotonou for the Court proceedings.
“Such trip may be rendered useless by the inadequate size of the Court Room. We shall be adequately represented by the Yoruba Community in the Benin Republic. They have been very wonderful hence we should allow them to represent us very well.
“We promise that detailed report of proceedings in court shall be made public after the court sittings. We crave the understanding of everyone in this sensitive matter,” Akintoye said.
“We have assembled the best lawyers within Republic of Benin and an International law expert from Paris, France for the legal defence of Chief Sunday Igboho and they are all working well under our supervision. We are satisfied with their work up till now,” he added.
Akintoye, the emeritus Historian, while making a special appeal, said information reaching the group led by him indicated that many Yoruba Nation Self-determination activists were planning to go and witness, and even protest at the court proceedings involving Igboho in Benin Republic court.
According to him, based on the meeting and discussion he had with the lawyers representing the Yoruba Nation activist, Igboho, it became necessary to make the appeal as the Court system and judges in the Benin Republic are different from the Nigerian Court system and judges.
Prof. Akintoye said findings showed that the court system in the Republic of Benin was not used to having crowded premises “hence they may misinterpret the presence of too many people in the Court premises as an attempt to harass, intimidate and overwhelm the court which opinion can have negative effect on Chief
Sunday Igboho.”
He said the appeal also came against the backdrop of the Nigerian government has falsely painted a bad picture that Igboho is a gun-runner and a terrorist with large followership, positing that the presence of crowds might be capitalised upon by the government lawyers as corroborative of their allegations.
“The presence of a huge crowd may pose some security concerns to security agencies and operatives in Benin Republic and may compel them to adopt some stringent measures to prevent a crowded court and attendant danger,” he said.
“Our lawyers are not comfortable with the prospect of too much crowd spoiling their good work and have urged that we appeal to our people to refrain from crowding the court,” he added.
Akintoye, therefore, commended and appreciated the immense support already received from all Yorubas, Yoruba groups and friends of Yorubas worldwide.
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