Fact-check: Did Sunday Igboho call Makinde, Tinubu and Ooni of Ife “Fulani slaves”?

Some Yoruba leaders cannot speak the truth because they have sold themselves as slaves to the Fulani, Sunday Igboho has said.

Igboho, whose real name is Sunday Adeyemo, reportedly made the comment during a virtual town hall meeting with at least 1,000 people from around the world.
The meeting started at 11:15pm on Tuesday, ended at 1am on Wednesday, TheCable reported.

During the meeting, Igboho described the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi; All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and Oyo governor Seyi Makinde as Fulani slaves.

Igboho also blasted some Yoruba leaders, including traditional rulers, alleging that they have not shown enough support for the struggle to liberate the Yoruba from their ”Fulani oppressors”.

Igboho joined the meeting at 12:16am, saying he was just entering Oyo town to see the Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, for a meeting. He said the monarch is in support of his struggle to expel “criminal” Fulani herdsmen and settlers from the South-West.

According to him, the fight to liberate the Yoruba and bring lasting peace is not for the police but for all Yoruba people, irrespective of where they are all over the world.

“I am not concerned about the police,” Igboho said.

“The struggle is about the Yoruba agenda as it concerns security situation in our land and I trust Yoruba people for support. People are afraid because of the atrocities of the herders. We also pray that our leaders will support us irrespective if their fear of being arrested. They should be able to talk to President Muhammadu Buhari on security in Yorubaland.

“When Ooni visited Buhari, the president received him by standing up but he said something I don’t like. That is why the Alaafin called me. He wants to tackle what Ooni said.”

Igboho said he has not received financial support from anyone, adding that he needs buses to transport his followers to places where the herders are wreaking havoc.

“I need buses to transport people. The three vans we use were bought by me. We lost three buses that were hired on our way to Oyo.

“Ooni should be able to tell Buhari about what Yorubas want. But he has collected dollars from Buhari. He called me but I don’t want to see him. Only Alaafin is supporting us and he has written a letter to the president. Ooni disappointed me. Politicians are with him,” he added.

The anti-Fulani crusader also criticised the Oluwo of Iwo, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, for calling himself an emir. He said some Yoruba leaders have turned themselves into slaves of the ethnic tribe that oppresses their people because of money.

“The Oluwo will wear turban and start calling himself an emir. Our people should call him and tell him to stop what he is doing.

“Our leaders are lazy and slaves to Fulanis. They visit Abuja to collect money. We will attack them and destroy their property. Ooni should be dealt with. I am annoyed. Why should we be afraid of the crown they (Yoruba monarchs) wear?

“Tinubu and other Yoruba politicians are Fulani slaves.

“We need not be afraid. I have not collected any money from anyone. I am a full Yoruba man and I will not allow Fulani people to enslave me. We do not look or behave alike in any way. The herders should go. Makinde is also a slave to the herders because of second term ambition,” Igboho said.

During the meeting, some of the participants called on Igboho to stop recording and releasing videos of his activities. A caller also advised him to stop attacking Yoruba leaders, saying they are not speaking up because of the respect for the Nigerian constitution.

A caller also said Yoruba monarchs should stop giving land to the herders, calling on the people to rise in support of Igboho.

At the end of the meeting, several WhatsApp groups were set up while two account numbers were given for people to donate money to support Igboho.