Ogundamisi: I reported a Yoruba to UK authorities for hate speech — I expect Igbo to do same for Kanu

Kayode Ogundamisi, a political commentator, says he reported Adeyinka Grandson, convener of the Young Yorubas for Freedom (YYF), to the UK authorities over his incessant hate speeches. 

Ogundamisi spoke in a recent interview with Rudolf Okonkwo, host of 90Minutes Africa.

In August 2019, TheCable reported that Grandson, a UK-based Nigerian of Yoruba descent, was arrested in London over his social media posts against some ethnic groups in Nigeria.

Grandson gained prominence on social media for his vituperation against people of Igbo extraction and criticism of the Hausa-Fulani.

He was later released on bail on the condition that he would not make any comments or posts to threaten or abuse any ethnic group.

In May 2020, he was charged with six counts of inciting racial hatred.

After being released on bail, he was said to have further made offending social media posts, which led to his re-arrest in October 2020 with an addition of two counts to his previous six-count charge.

In October 2020, a video in which Grandson issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Igbo to leave Yorubaland, appeared on social media — a threat that was denounced by Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate.

Weeks later, he was found guilty of inciting racial hatred after a trial at Southwark Crown court.

In April 2022, he was sentenced to four and half years in prison for promoting racial hatred.

Speaking in the interview, Ogundamisi said his petition to the London Metropolitan Police led to the prosecution and imprisonment of Grandson.

“I took it upon myself to take it up with the UK authorities,” Ogundamisi said.

“I submitted a petition to the London Metropolitan Police against Adeyinka which led him to where he is today and I have no regrets. I expected my Igbo brothers to have done the same with Nnamdi Kanu.”

“It would have been quite easy for the government then because Nnamdi Kanu was clearly making statements that were inciting violence against other ethnic groups, which was clearly breaking UK laws, but we had an incompetent embassy that failed to report these activities.”