Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has urged Vice-President Kashim Shettima to cease his verbal sparring with Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK’s Conservative Party.
Badenoch has come under fire from Nigerians — including criticism from Shettima — for “repeatedly disparaging” her country of heritage.
Born in 1980 to Yoruba parents in the UK, Badenoch spent her early years in Nigeria before returning to Britain at the age of 16.
Prior to her election as Conservative leader, Badenoch referred to Nigeria as a socialist nation plagued by corrupt politicians and insecurity.
In a recent interview, she stated that she identifies more closely with the Yoruba ethnic group than with Nigeria as a whole.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Igboho defended Badenoch, saying she had simply expressed an honest and accurate assessment of the corruption within Nigeria’s system.
“It is incumbent upon President Bola Tinubu, himself of Yoruba heritage, to instruct Shettima to prioritise his duties as Vice-President instead of engaging in a war of words with Badenoch,” the statement read.
“When Muhammadu Buhari was President, no one dared to launch verbal attacks or insults against his Fulani ethnic group without consequences.
“During Buhari’s tenure, I faced persecution for speaking out against the destruction of farmlands, killings, and sexual violence committed by Fulani herders. On his orders, security agents raided my residence on July 1, 2021, killing two people and arresting 13 others.”
Igboho criticised the Nigerian government for failing to address the challenges facing Nigerians, such as economic hardship, poverty, kidnapping, and insecurity.
He argued that rather than addressing these pressing issues, Shettima has chosen to criticise Badenoch for voicing her views on the country’s challenges.
“The majority of Nigerians are enduring extreme poverty and insecurity, yet the Nigerian Government seems directionless in finding solutions. Instead of implementing measures to ease the suffering of the masses, the Vice-President is expending his energy on Badenoch,” Igboho said.
“When did it become a crime for someone to express their views or state the obvious about how corruption has hindered Nigeria’s progress?
“Badenoch’s declaration of her Yoruba identity is not an offence. The Vice-President should focus on his responsibilities rather than pursuing trivial matters,” he added.
