Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho has distanced himself from the viral video released by his spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, where he threatened that youths in the south-west would invade the palace of the Alake of Egbaland.
Koiki had on Sunday threatened all traditional rulers in the region that kicked against the agitation of the Oduduwa Republic.
Igboho who spoke through his Senior Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dapo Salami, in an interview with SaharaReporters said the statement was made solely by Koiki.
Salami in his statement noted that the threat issued by Koiko should be attributed to him and not Igboho.
Salami said, “Quote me, Chief Sunday Igboho has nothing to do with this declaration by Koiki, though Koiki is Igboho’s spokesman, but, on this particular one, Chief is not in support.”
“The Alake of Egbaland is a major leader in Yorubaland whom we honour and have so much reverence for. Igboho will never say he wants to go and invade his palace.”
“Koiki came in from the United Kingdom so he does not understand some things. We are not for violence, we are not going to invade any Oba’s Palace. We respect them all, they are our fathers and we will never disrespect them.”
Recall that Koiki had said: “Let’s send a message back to the Alake of Egbaland. My name is Olayomi Koiki. We will start with you, we will break the coconut on your head. If you think what we have in our hand is child’s play, we are almost done sending people out; just a little more time. You will know that ‘water pass garri’. By the time we invade your palace, you will know. You think we are joking. We have blown it to a level, just a little more time to release the hair. You will hear ‘gbos’.”
“Thinking that this issue will not turn into trouble is a lie. The trouble is coming; we are just postponing it. Whoever has the might can wait; who doesn’t have the power will hear it when the noise gets to its stage.”
“Some of the Obas, aside from those who have spoken out well, those who have not spoken out, we will pursue them and they will run. Look at me very well. I am Olayomi Koiki. If you think you have something (spiritual power), you’d better start using it because what we are dragging with you is not a joke. It is you that will go into exile because most of you sent us into slavery, now you are saying that we should not start a war in Nigeria. Don’t you know there is a war already since the creation of Nigeria? You will hear madness by the time we send out ‘boys’. We will use your head to break a coconut, except the good ones among you, who have spoken up.”
“Tell all Obas and politicians that this is not a joke. I am a confirmed Ijebu-Ode indigene. Let’s continue with the awareness, but at a stage, you will know it.”
“The South-West governments have been given 30 days and after 30 days, it will be very hot. We are not going anywhere, we are here; unless God does not know about this.”
“How can somebody be telling us from his palace that we should not start a war. There’s war in Nigeria. You think there is no war in Nigeria and the governor of Benue state was almost killed? You didn’t talk when Yoruba indigenes became refugees in the Benin Republic.”
“Whatever you have, bring it out and let’s drag it on. Yoruba nation, there’s no going back!”