By Adesina Soyooye
In a news report which has gladdened the heart of the Yoruba Nation, even if temporarily, its dogged fighter, Sunday Adeyemo, popular as Igboho, has regained his freedom from detention.
For over 231 days, Igboho, 49, was in the custody of the Republic of Benin. Declared wanted by Nigeria after his home in Ibadan was raided by a combined team of Security Agents. Some of his aides were arrested, and, a couple of them killed, Igboho tried to escape to Germany with one of his wives, Ropo, a German citizen, but both were intercepted at an airport in Cotonou, just before they boarded a Lufthansa Airline aircraft.
They were clamped into detention and charged to Court. During their first outing in Court, his wife was released. But Igboho was kept in an uncomfortable prison facility while the charges against him progressed.
It is not known if there were conditions attached to his release, aside from an undertaking not to leave the country, but apparently, the bid by the Nigerian Government to have him extradited to Nigeria is continuing, as well as any other charge the Benin Republic has against him.
Announcing his release in a terse statement, on Monday, the Spokesperson for Ilana Omo Oodua, Worldwide, Maxwell Adeleye, said Igboho was released to Yoruba Leader, Professor Banji Akintoye, and a French language expert, Akintoye’s Deputy,Professor Wale Adediran. “It is a triumph of truth over darkness in Yorubaland”, Akintoye proclaimed.
However, Igboho’s Counsel, Yomi Aliyyu, SAN, explained Igboho cannot, for now, leave the Republic of Benin. He said he was released to enable him go to hospital to attend to his health. It is not known if he will go back to jail after attending to his health, or if he would continue to enjoy his “freedom”, and attend his Court hearings from outside.
