Wole Soyinka has requested that the Federal Government of Nigeria apologize to Sunday Igboho for the invasion of his home by officers from the Department of State Services.
On Thursday, July 1, the DSS raided Igboho’s home in Ibadan, Oyo State, killing two of his accomplices in the process.
In reaction to what he has termed as a “Fulani invasion” of the South-West, Igboho has called for the formation of a “Yoruba Nation.” The DSS has added Sunday Igboho to the wanted list.
Wole Soyinka remarked in an interview with BBC Pidgin released on Monday, July 5, that the government’s actions and rationale for invading Igboho’s home “stinks.”
He said: “My advise to the government is that they should stop pursuing Igboho as a criminal, because you have begun by acting in a criminal fashion against him.
“If and when Igboho comes to trial, I guarantee you the government will be very embarrassed.
“I think they should tell Igboho ‘we made a mistake’, ‘we should not have acted in this way’, ‘you are no longer wanted’, ‘go back to your home’. In fact, escort him to his home and let him resume his normal life.”
Soyinka claimed that Igboho’s battle for freedom was motivated by criminal activities committed by Nigerian adversaries who “appear to be supported by the force of the State.”
While Soyinka stated that he does not “enjoy the sound of a Yoruba Nation” any more than he does the sound of a Tiv or Igbo nation, he stated that the country must be reformed through power decentralization.
