Manny Ita
Yoruba self-determination activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, returned to Nigeria on Monday, January 26, 2026, ending over four years of self-imposed exile. The activist arrived in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and proceeded immediately to the palace of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, in a move widely viewed as his formal reintegration into the country’s social and political fabric. His spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, confirmed the arrival, stating, “As I’m speaking to you, Chief Sunday Adeyemo is on his way to the Olubadan Palace. This is a moment of joy for Ibadanland and Yorubaland as a whole.”
The return was made possible after the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration reportedly removed Igboho’s name from the federal government’s “wanted” list. This administrative clearance followed a series of high-level diplomatic and traditional interventions led by prominent South-West monarchs, including the Olubadan, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Alao. Koiki emphasized that these efforts were instrumental in securing his principal’s freedom, noting that “Chief Adeyemo is now cleared to return to Nigeria and is no longer being sought by government authorities.”
Igboho had been living in the neighboring Benin Republic since July 2021, following a deadly midnight raid on his Soka residence by the Department of State Services (DSS) on allegations of stockpiling weapons—a charge he consistently denied. He was later intercepted at the Cotonou airport while attempting to travel to Germany and spent over a year in Beninese detention before his conditional release in 2022. During his exile, the activist had lamented the freezing of his bank accounts and the revocation of his travel documents by the previous administration, describing the situation as an “unjust treatment” for his advocacy against insecurity in the South-West.
Supporters and various Yoruba socio-cultural groups, including members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and the Agbekoya movement, gathered at strategic locations in Ibadan to celebrate the homecoming. Despite the heavy security presence deployed to maintain order, the atmosphere remained celebratory as the activist’s convoy made its way through the city. Koiki expressed gratitude to the Presidency and the traditional rulers, declaring that Igboho is now “a free man” and ready to contribute to the peace and stability of his homeland under the current legal framework.
