The Federal Government (FG) stated that the petition by Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as “Sunday Igboho”, calling on the United Kingdom (UK) to consider the Yoruba nation as a sovereign state was not endorsed by the UK government.
This was made known in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe.
He said, “Following media reports on the petition submitted at No. 10 Downing Street by Mr Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, the British High Commissioner in Abuja was invited to shed light on the issue.
“During the meeting, the High Commissioner noted with concern that the matter was overblown, indicating that the media reports were highly misleading.
“Furthermore, the High Commissioner informed that he was aware of the letter being delivered but added that it was merely an established practice of allowing the delivery of letters and petitions to No. 10.
“The UK government typically does not concern itself with petitions concerning the sovereign affairs of another country.”
The High Commissioner also stated that in the past such petitions had also been rejected by the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee and the UK Government, adding that he would continue to liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also reiterated the importance of the bilateral relations between both countries.
Recall that Igboho, filed a petition on Sunday at No. 10 Downing Street on behalf of Prof Adebanji Akintoye, the leader of the Yoruba Nation movement.