The Nigerian Federal Government has rejected reports suggesting that the United Kingdom has endorsed a petition submitted by Sunday Adeyemo, commonly known as Sunday Igboho, a prominent advocate for the Yoruba Nation. The petition, which urges the UK government to consider the establishment of a Yoruba nation, was delivered to 10 Downing Street in London last week.
In a statement made on Tuesday, Eche Abu-Obe, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, characterized media reports regarding the petition as “highly misleading.” He clarified that the UK government had no official connection or endorsement of the petition.
Abu-Obe elaborated that following reports about the petition, the British High Commissioner in Abuja was called upon to clarify the situation. During their discussion, the High Commissioner expressed concern that the situation had been exaggerated, stating that the media coverage was not accurate.
He confirmed that the acceptance of the petition was part of a routine process for receiving letters and petitions at 10 Downing Street, emphasizing there was no endorsement from any UK government body or the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee.
“Moreover, the High Commissioner noted that while he was aware of the letter’s delivery, it was merely an established protocol for allowing submissions to No. 10,” Abu-Obe stated. He added that the UK government generally does not engage with petitions related to the domestic affairs of other nations, quoting the High Commissioner on this point.
The diplomat further mentioned that similar petitions have been turned down by the UK government in the past. The British High Commissioner reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a solid bilateral relationship between the UK and Nigeria, assuring the Nigerian government of continued cooperation on issues of shared interest.
Yoruba Nation’s Petition
Sunday Igboho confirmed through a post by his spokesperson, Olayomi Koiki, on social media that the petition was indeed submitted to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Koiki stated, “At 14:00 hrs, Dr. Chief Sunday Igboho delivered a petition to the UK Prime Minister on behalf of Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, the leader of the Yoruba Nation movement, and Olayomi Koiki, his spokesman, at 10 Downing Street.”
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