By Dapo Akinrefon & Olasunkanmi Akoni

LAGOS—FRESH facts emerged on why Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, visited Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho, in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Soyinka had visited Igboho and leaders of the Ilana Omo Oodua, IOO, Professor Banji Akintoye and Dr. Adewale Adeniran.

Accompanying some photos of the visit was a caption where Igboho wrote: “It’s my pleasure to have my father, Prof. Wole Soyinka, around. I wish you more good life sir.”

The playwright, who was seen at the Seme border around noon on Sunday, crossing over to Cotonou, was mobbed by a crowd while waiting to complete immigration formalities.

While he was repeatedly asked where he was headed, he responded that he was on a visit to Sunday Igboho to break the Muslim fast with him.

Reminded that neither he nor Ighoho was a Muslim, Nobel Laureate said that it made no difference.

He said: “Ramadan is as good as any other season to express non-denominational solidarity,” Soyinka stated.

Meanwhile, multiple sources told Vanguard that Soyinka’s visit was in solidarity with Igboho and Akintoye.

Another source told Vanguard that the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, was to “map out strategies on how we are going to achieve our objective which is to have an independent nation.”

It was further learned that the closed-door meeting “may not be unconnected with the bid for Igboho’s total freedom and return to Nigeria.”

The source said: “Soyinka’s visit was just a solidarity visit and it was held behind closed doors. Since it was a closed-door meeting, it is not what you disclose to the public.

It was a solidarity visit to further map out strategies on how we are going to achieve our objective which is to have an independent nation. If you must know, Soyinka played a prominent role in Igboho’s release from detention.”

On what Sunday Igboho said, the source stated: “Igboho appreciated him (Soyinka) for his role in his freedom from incarceration which was propelled by the Nigerian Government. He also pledged his loyalty to the Yoruba people and assured the world that the Yoruba determination struggle is an idea whose time has come. It is no retreat, no surrender.”

Similarly, another source informed Vanguard that Professor Akintoye “has always been consistent and dedicated to the struggle of the Yoruba Nation. He is also in high spirit and fine.”

Igboho was arrested in the Benin Republic last year and detained by the Beninese authorities.

He was, however, granted freedom on health grounds on March 7, 2022.