STATEMENT OF APPRECIATION, GRATITUDE, AND CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THE YORUBA CAUSE

By Olayomi Koiki

Spokesperson to Dr. Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho Oosa)

With profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Almighty God and to everyone who has stood firmly with us throughout the Yoruba Nation struggle.

The journey has not been easy. It has been marked by sacrifices, uncertainty, perseverance, and unwavering determination. However, despite the challenges we faced, countless Yoruba sons and daughters at home and across the diaspora never abandoned us. Your steadfast support has been a source of strength and encouragement throughout the years.

First and foremost, I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the role his administration played in the release of my principal, Dr. Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho Oosa).

The release of Dr. Sunday Adeyemo brought renewed hope and relief to many Yoruba people who had prayed and worked tirelessly for justice and peace. I acknowledge this development with gratitude and believe it represents an important moment that helped reduce tension and created an opportunity for continued dialogue and peaceful engagement.

For this, I sincerely appreciate Mr. President and all those who contributed, directly or indirectly, to making this possible.

I also wish to express my deepest appreciation to millions of Yoruba sons and daughters in the diaspora and those residing across Nigeria who remained steadfast throughout the struggle.

To our brothers and sisters in Europe, America, Canada, Asia, Africa, and every other part of the world, your financial assistance, prayers, advocacy, peaceful campaigns, encouragement, and sacrifices kept the movement alive during some of its most difficult periods.

Likewise, I appreciate every Yoruba son and daughter at home who continued to stand courageously for the cause despite numerous challenges.

Your unwavering support for Professor Banji Akintoye and Dr. Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho demonstrated your commitment to the dignity, unity, and future of the Yoruba people.

Every contribution -whether through advocacy, financial support, media engagement, peaceful mobilisation, or prayers -helped sustain our collective efforts.

As the spokesperson to Dr. Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho Oosa), I also wish to explain why I personally believe it is important to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.

This position reflects my personal opinion and conviction, based on what I believe will best serve the long-term interests of the South-West and the Yoruba people.

One of the reasons for my support is the role played by President Tinubu’s administration in the release of my principal, Dr. Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho. I remain grateful for this development and believe it marked an important step toward peaceful engagement.

I also welcome the discussions and initiatives surrounding the establishment of State Police across Nigeria. In my opinion, a properly constituted State Police system has the potential to strengthen local security, improve intelligence gathering, and enable state governments to respond more effectively to security challenges affecting their communities. I remain hopeful that this initiative will be fully implemented in accordance with the Constitution for the benefit of all Nigerians.

Another important reason is the positive environment that has enabled my principal, Dr. Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho, to continue promoting the Iru Ekun Security Network, a community-based security initiative established to complement lawful efforts aimed at protecting lives and property across Yorubaland. I believe stronger collaboration among government institutions, traditional rulers, community security initiatives, and citizens will contribute significantly to improving security throughout the South-West.

Beyond security, I believe continuity in leadership can help consolidate developmental projects, strengthen regional infrastructure, create more economic opportunities for young people, encourage investment, and support long-term growth across the South-West.

In my personal assessment, these, together with other initiatives undertaken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration that I believe have benefited Yorubaland, provide reasons why I support his continued leadership.

I fully recognise and respect that Nigerians may hold different political opinions. My position is simply my own conviction, expressed in the spirit of constructive democratic participation and peaceful dialogue.

Although significant progress has been made, the Yoruba struggle has not ended.

Our commitment to advocating peacefully for the interests, dignity, welfare, security, and development of the Yoruba people remains unwavering.

However, I must openly acknowledge that many of our efforts would not have been possible without the invaluable support, encouragement, and fatherly guidance of our revered traditional rulers.

I therefore wish to express my deepest appreciation to every Oba and traditional ruler across Yorubaland who welcomed us during our visits last year.

Your Royal Majesties received us with open hearts, offered valuable counsel, prayed for us, encouraged us, and demonstrated genuine concern for the peace, unity, and future of the Yoruba people.

Your support gave us strength during difficult moments and reminded us that our traditional institutions remain the custodians of our heritage, unity, and identity.

Without your prayers, wisdom, encouragement, and moral support, many aspects of our journey would have been far more difficult.

We remain sincerely grateful for your hospitality, guidance, and confidence in us.

As we continue this journey, I appeal to every Yoruba son and daughterre-gardless of political affiliation, religious belief, or ideological differences—to remain united.

Our greatest strength has always been our unity.

Division only weakens us, delays progress, and distracts us from achieving our common aspirations.

Let us continue to work together peacefully, respect our traditional institutions, uphold democratic values, and build a future founded on justice, security, prosperity, and mutual respect.

To everyone who has stood with us throughout this journey-our supporters across the world, our leaders, our elders, our youths, our traditional rulers, and every friend of the Yoruba cause—I say thank you.

Your sacrifices, prayers, encouragement, and unwavering commitment will forever remain part of the history of this movement.

May Almighty God continue to bless the Yoruba people, preserve our traditional institutions, grant wisdom to our leaders, and bless the Yoruba Land.

Isokan ni Agbara wa.

(Unity is Our Strength.)

Olayomi Koiki
Spokesperson to Dr. Chief Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho Oosa)