The Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, led by Prof Banji Akintoye and Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Sunday Igboho), has penned an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, advocating for a peaceful separation of the Yoruba people from Nigeria.

Dated April 17, 2024, the letter, co-signed by Akintoye, Igboho, and Ola Ademola, requests President Tinubu to establish a negotiation team within the next two months to discuss the Yoruba people’s exit from Nigeria.

This development follows a recent incident where armed agitators attempted to hoist their flag at the Oyo State Government House, an action that both Igboho and Akintoye disavowed.

In the letter addressed to President Tinubu, the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement emphasizes the ongoing violence perpetrated by Fulani herders against indigenous peoples across Nigeria, including the Yoruba community. They cite instances of killings, kidnappings, and land seizures, which have led to widespread instability and economic hardship.

The movement alleges that nearly 29,000 Yoruba people have been killed by Fulani herders since 2015, further justifying their call for a separate Yoruba nation. They express skepticism towards restructuring as a solution, arguing that it would not adequately address the security concerns faced by the Yoruba people.

Representing the interests of approximately 60 million Yoruba people in various states and regions, including Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Kogi, Kwara, and Delta, the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement outlines their request for the Nigerian Federal Government to acknowledge their proposal for negotiation and involve international observers, including the United Nations, African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

They pledge to provide the government with a list of their negotiation team members upon receiving a response to their request.