The British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, emphasized that the sovereignty of another country is not a concern of the United Kingdom. This statement came in response to a petition presented by Sunday Adeyemo, commonly known as ‘Sunday Igboho,’ to the UK regarding the Yoruba nation’s sovereignty.
Igboho claimed to have submitted the petition on behalf of the leader of the agitation movement, Adebanji Akintoye. The specific details of the petition were not disclosed to the public, but Igboho and his supporters were reportedly seeking support from the UK Prime Minister for the establishment of the Yoruba nation.
Montgomery clarified that the petition was not endorsed by any official UK government body or the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee. He emphasized that it is not within the UK government’s jurisdiction to intervene in the sovereign affairs of another nation. Montgomery also mentioned that similar petitions have been rejected in the past by the UK government and Parliamentary Petitions Committee.
He assured ongoing communication with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as necessary, highlighting the significance of bilateral relations, investment, security, defense, and home affairs between the UK and Nigeria.
It’s worth noting that the Federal Government of Nigeria had also clarified that the UK government did not endorse Igboho’s petition for the creation of the Yoruba nation, dismissing media reports as misleading.