OGUN GOV ACTED AS SURETY FOR IGBOHO’S RETURN TO BURY MOTHER — LAWYER
Read Time:2 Minute, 28 Second
By:Aminat Tajudeen
Human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has revealed that Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, agreed to guarantee the conduct of Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to facilitate his return to Nigeria for his mother’s burial.
Olajengbesi disclosed this in a Facebook post on Sunday after visiting Igboho, whom he described as his elder brother and former client. He said their meeting centred on politics, leadership and Igboho’s experiences over the years.
According to the lawyer, Igboho contacted him in 2023 following the death of his mother and insisted on returning home to pay his final respects.
Olajengbesi said he subsequently appealed to Governor Abiodun to intervene, adding that the governor asked whether he had discussed the matter with the then National Security Adviser.
He said Abiodun also expressed the view that President Bola Tinubu would support individuals whose activities remained within the law.
Olajengbesi said he subsequently connected Igboho with Abiodun and three other governors who considered the request.
He stated that Abiodun eventually agreed to stand as a guarantor for Igboho’s conduct during a seven-day grace period granted to enable him to attend his mother’s burial.
According to him, Igboho returned to Nigeria, performed the burial rites and left the country immediately afterwards.
Olajengbesi added that the matter was later resolved through engagements with several prominent Nigerians and within the confines of the law.
He recalled that Igboho had called him after his mother’s death, speaking with a broken voice and insisting that he must return home to perform his final duty to her.
The lawyer said, “I immediately called His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, and appealed for his intervention. He asked whether I had raised the matter with the National Security Adviser. I told him I had not. He expressed the view that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would encourage anyone whose activities and ideology remained within the ambit of the law.”
Olajengbesi further stated, “That evening, I connected Chief Igboho with Governor Dapo Abiodun for the first time and subsequently with three other governors, who considered the appeal.
“While other engagements surrounding the matter must remain privileged, I vividly remember Governor Dapo Abiodun agreeing to stand as a guarantor for Chief Igboho’s conduct during the seven-day grace period granted for his mother’s burial.
“Chief Igboho returned home, performed his final duty to his mother, and departed Nigeria immediately afterwards. His matter was subsequently resolved as we engaged with the interventions of several other prominent Nigerians, within the ambit of the law.”
Igboho left Nigeria for the Benin Republic in 2021. In February 2024, Olajengbesi publicly acknowledged Abiodun’s role in facilitating Igboho’s peaceful return.
The lawyer also described Igboho as a prominent voice in the defence of Yoruba interests and said their recent meeting provided an opportunity to reconnect and discuss Nigeria, politics, leadership and his experiences.
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