BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
Prof. Banji Akintoye, leader of the Yoruba self-determination group, Ilana Omo Oodua, has denied the news doing the rounds that he was on the run to escape the plan by the Federal Government to arrest him.
In a statement made available to journalists on Sunday, Akintoye said while it was true that he was in the Republic of Benin, the report that he was on the run was false AMD unfounded.
The statement made available to journalists on Sunday by his Communications Manager, Maxwell Adeleye, quoted the professor as saying that he was in Benin Republic in view of Chief Sunday Adeyemo’s legal matter.
The statement quoted Akintoye as saying, “Myself, the President-General and Prof. Wale Adeniran, (Chairman) of Ilana Omo Oodua, are currently in the Republic of Benin as reported, but not on the run. We are here to supervise and coordinate the struggle for the release of our son and patriot, Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, detained by the government from custody.
“By demanding peaceful self-determination for the Yoruba nation, I am not breaking any law since self-determination is recognized by the international and Nigerian laws to be an inalienable right of every nationality, large or small, in the world.
“I have earned a solid reputation as a respectable advocate of a peaceful self-determination struggle. I have even written a book on the subject which is already being used as a manual by Yoruba self-determination advocates and organizations. Irrespective of what the Nigerian government may be planning against me, I want to say without any fear or intimidation that I will be returning to Nigeria immediately Ighoho is released from the custody.
“Let me tell all Yoruba people across the world that there’s no cause for alarm. I didn’t flee to anywhere. I am in Benin Republic running your errands. The struggle is no retreat, no surrender.”
The statement further quoted Akintoye as saying that “The only court case not under my co-ordination and supervision, and which the Yoruba socio-cultural and self-determination groups are not paying for is the one in Ibadan High Court, Oyo State.
“The lawyer handling the Ibadan case, Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN, said we should leave it to him, and that we should not bother on the funding, but the Yoruba groups and patriots under my supervision are completely responsible for the funding of the court cases in Abuja, Lagos and Cotonou.”
