Yoruba nation activist Igboho urges Nnamdi Kanu to embrace dialogue with FG

Foremost Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has called on the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to prioritise diplomatic engagement with the Federal Government to resolve his ongoing legal and political challenges.

In a statement released on Friday, and signed by his counsel, Pelumi Olajengbesi, Igboho commended Kanu for his recent decision to officially cancel the Monday sit-at-home order that has impacted the South-East for five years.

Igboho described the move to end the weekly protest as a necessary step toward restoring the region’s stability.

The statement read, “Chief Sunday Adeyemo wishes to commend the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on his recent cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home across the South-East zone of Nigeria.

Chief Igboho believes that the move by Mazi Kanu to end the five-year Monday economic siege on the South-East zone is thoughtful.”

Beyond the cancellation of the civil disobedience order, Igboho advocated for a shift in strategy, urging Kanu to seek a middle ground through formal talks with the current administration.

“Chief Igboho urges the IPOB leader to vigorously explore dialogue and mediation with the Federal Government to break the deadlock in his ordeal”, the statement said.

The activist expressed optimism that the government of President Bola Tinubu would be receptive to such overtures, suggesting that a peaceful resolution is within reach if both parties engage in good faith.

“While it is the fundamental right of Mazi Kanu to pursue self-determination, Chief Igboho believes that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu is predisposed to negotiation and mutual understanding for the peace, shared prosperity, security and the deserved respect that the South-East commands”, the statement added.

The statement also took a sharp tone against individuals or groups allegedly benefiting from the unrest in the South-East.

Igboho warned that the “desecration” of the region must end to allow for economic recovery.

“Chief Igboho also urges all those who make profits from the desecration and despoliation of the South-East through violence to desist from such acts in the interest of peace and economic prosperity of the region and the nation,” the statement added.

The intervention by Sunday Igboho marks a significant moment of solidarity between the two prominent ethnic activists, signalling a growing consensus on the need for peace and negotiation in the quest for regional stability.

The pro-Biafran group declared the sit-at-home in August 2021 as a way of protesting the rendition of Kanu to Nigeria and his subsequent incarceration.

During the exercise, markets, schools, banks and offices remained shut.

PUNCH Online reports that Kanu was convicted of terrorism-related offences on November 20, 2025, and subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment, a verdict his family rejected and vowed to appeal.

Following his sentencing, Kanu was taken to the Sokoto Correctional Centre to serve his sentence after the court held that the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja would not be suitable for him.