Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has said the approach adopted by Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, to express his grievances cannot work against any government.

Speaking with BBC News Yoruba on Monday in commemoration of his birthday, the revered monarch said he met with President Muhammadu Buhari over Igboho’s agitation and the President told him to urge Igboho to stay calm, ‘but he refused to listen to us’.

The Ooni, who granted the interview in Yoruba language, said regardless of the actions of Igboho, the Yoruba nation will still stand by him because he is still their son.

He said: “May the Almighty God help me stay with him. He (Igboho) grew up here in Ile-Ife because Modakeke and Ife are the same land. Whatever he became in life is from here.

“When he first started, he wanted to fight for the place he hails from. He stood up because of the people that were killed in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State. The truth is that somebody will stand but we even thank God for preserving his soul till now.

“But people started influencing him left and right, but you must know how and when to retreat as a warrior. Many of those pushing you just want to use you as a guinea pig.”

Oba Ogunwusi said he visited President Buhari and he presented Igboho’s case before the Commander-in-Chief.

“They asked us to tell him to keep quiet, but he didn’t listen. He started abusing me and others.

“After my visit to the Villa, I called Yoruba leaders but he was busy saying all sorts of things against us.

“Regardless, he is still outr son and only God has forgiveness. We have forgiven him.

“But it would have been better if he had listened to us. We are also making effort about where he is.

“Who can fight government? You can only use your sense. It’s not about violence but sense.

“Those advising him are too much. He should stop abusing the elders. Let us seek the constitutional means of freedom and not by violence.”

On clamour for Nigeria to split by some persons and groups, Ooni said: “We will not condemn those saying Nigeria should split. Just as I often tell the government, they need to sit them down.

“I am on the throne of our fathers. And I believe what is best for us is for the black race to be united. When fairness is lacking, some groups will be fuming. And when the groups are groaning, it causes fracture,” Ooni said.

He continued: “If people say we should go to war, at the end of the day, we will still come to the roundtable; if we don’t go to war too, we will sit on the roundtable as well. So why don’t get engage in dialogue once and for all.

“I want peaceful talk: that is my position. And I believe it is time. It is essential, for the progress of our country, Nigeria.

“If the clamour keeps increasing, and we don’t address it, that is dangerous.”