The untold story of controversial Yoruba Youth Leader Sunday Igboho

Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, is a different person to different people. To many, he is a thug. Igboho is a traditionalist to some and a Christian to others.

Many see him as a human right activist, some call him a politician while others describe him as a businessman, for operating under the registered business name, Adeson International Business Concept Ltd.

His two wives live in two different parts of the globe – Germany and Canada – while he has three professional footballers playing in Germany as children.

On different occasions, Sunday Adeyemo had reportedly used guns to fight his enemies. This is said to be something he inherited from his grandfather.

Sunday Igboho is allegedly harbouring thugs in his Ibadan residence, using them to grab lands from their owners across the Southwest states.

Igboho went through the tutelage of Chief Lamidi Adedibu, the strongman of Ibadan politics.

He was one of his most reliable and trusted thugs.

At a point in their relationship, Adedibu began to suspect he was getting too powerful and independent.

Adedibu then invited him to a meeting and told him he should run for the chairmanship of a local government in Oyo State.

Igboho in a recent interview said he knew it was an attempt by Adedibu to bench him so he told him he was not educated, could not speak English and could therefore not be chairman of a local government.

Igboho said: “Adedibu then looked at me and barked an order ‘STAND UP!’ I stood up. ‘SIT DOWN!’ I sat down. Adedibu then said “and you claim not to be educated. Whatever is left we shall add it unto you.”

In 2006, he assisted a former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasidi Ladoja, to miraculously leave Akure, the venue of the PDP rally when he lost the party ticket to his deputy, Chief Adebayo Aloa-Akala.

Adeyemo was born in Igboho, Oke-Ogun in Oyo State but his father relocated to Modakeke in Osun State where he grew up.

He started off as a motorcycle mechanic and then ventured into sale of automobiles, from where he started Adeson Business Concept.

He became famous after the part he played in the Modakeke/Ife war, between 1997 and 1998, where he was a defendant of the Modakeke people.

He thereafter relocated to Ibadan where he met former Oyo State governor, Lam Adesina, through a courageous step while trying to defend the rights of the people at a fuel station during fuel scarcity.

He also worked with former Governor Rasheed Ladoja and became one of his most trusted aides.

Born on October 10, 1972, Igboho, however, got it wrong in January 2021 for daring to confront and give an eviction notice to Fulani herders in Igangan, Ibarapa area of Oyo State after the killing of Dr. Aborode.

Fulani people being Nigerians, many Nigerians including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, decried the quit notice given to the Fulani in the state. Igboho insisted that the Fulani must leave Yorubaland.

He accused the Fulani community in the area of masterminding abductions, killings and other criminal activities in the area.

The chairman of Miyyeti Allah in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Jiji, asked the federal government to investigate and ensure Sunday Igboho faced the full wrath of the law for burning the house of the Seriki Fulani of Oyo State, Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir and other neighbours.

One of his childhood friends, Prince Adeoye Alimi, told Daily Trust: “Our family houses are not far apart. In fact, he is like an elder brother to me.

“When he was growing up at home, he would assemble us and we would follow him to play around the town.

From childhood when he was attending Community Primary School, Modeke, he cultivated the idea of leading a group of people.

“He was a comedian when he was young.

“I remember that regularly, he did things that made people laugh.

“One of them was that during the weekend, he would dress like a pregnant woman by putting a lot of clothes under his shirt.

“He would then instruct one of us to beat a drum while he danced around the town.

“Wherever people gathered to relax, he would go there to dance and make them laugh. He was a restless and lively person as a young boy.”

Adeoye, who is now living in Igboho, Oke-Ogun area of the state, said Sunday Igboho usually defended his mates whenever they had challenges with their teachers.

He noted that Sunday Igboho appeared as a ‘warrior’ whenever he visited home, with a fleet of cars and an entourage, giving money to his friends and kinsmen.

He further said; “I also remember that in those days, when pupils were sent home from school for one reason or the other, they would head to Sunday Igboho’s house instead of going to their different homes.”

“He eventually left Igboho. But he was visiting the town regularly. Whenever he comes home till date, it’s always like a carnival; everyone will know that Sunday is around because he enters the town like a king.

“Many people will pay him a visit. In turn, he will also pay visits to his friends, the town’s traditional rulers and other leaders.

“He also paid visits to leaders of all religions in the town.

“That is why it is difficult to know his religion because he identifies with all religious groups and contributes to all their activities.”

When asked how his friend got the metaphysical power he claimed to possess, Adetunji said Sunday Igboho’s grandfather was known to possess some forms of power.

He, however, said Sunday could have had the power after leaving the town.

“The metaphysical power he has is beyond imagination and we don’t really know how he got it.

“Igboho town is not known for such power. I can’t say if he got the power before he left the town or from one of the places he visited after leaving the town.

“However, what I know is that his grandfather was well known to possess some powers.

“Everyone who lived in the town before his death would know of the power of Sunday’s grandfather.

“I knew the man well because we usually passed his house every day.

“He was around 95 years old at the time. From stories we heard, many people visited him to seek his blessing.

“What I also heard from elders of the town is that if he cursed anyone, it would come to pass.

“Oke Ogun is an ancient town and we have scholars in the town”, Adetunji stated.

On the allegation that Sunday Igboho amassed wealth from land grabbing, his friend said he was aware that Sunday helped those who lost their lands to land grabbers in many parts of the state.

He said, “Sunday has played big roles in the development of Igboho, oftentimes, he mediates in disputes between communities in the town.

“He helps people repossess land forcefully taken by land grabbers in Ohio, Moniya and other areas. All he needs is enough proof of ownership.  (Daily Trust)