Details of SUNDAY IGBOHOs Messy Fight With MAUREEN BADEJO Over GoFundMe NMillions

Her name got into public space few months back in a controversial manner.

Now, Maureen Badejo is in the news again over the fund she allegedly raised through her media platform in support of the cause of an Ibadan, Oyo Stated based Yoruba fundamentalist, Sunday Igboho.

Maureen, who spoke extensively online through her GIO TV on the genesis of the fund and why she decided to raise money for the cause of the Yorubas in Nigeria, castigated those she said had been maligning her over her decision to come to the rescue and raise funds to buy busses for Sunday Igboho and his group.

Badejo recalled that one Fisayo had met and pleaded with her for three days that Sunday Igboho group needed funds to buy vehicles for their operations back in Nigeria and that she could raise fund for the purpose through her platform, GIO TV.

“When Sunday Igboho went to Ibarapa in Ibadan, Oyo State, I streamed it live. Like every other person, I was moved when I saw what he did, so I decided to support him. People called me to support him and I said no. But when the pressure was too much on me, I decided to do an opinion poll on the issue.

“I put up a post and I said “do you want us to discuss Sunday Igboho or we should continue with what we are doing,” and everybody said “Sunday Igboho.” I had no option than to dance to their tune.

“You all know that on this platform I don’t impose things on anyone. We run an open door policy, we debate and brainstorm. That was how we started.

“They said I should put money in the account of the spokesperson of Sunday Igboho’s group, Yomi Koiki, but I said ‘no.’ Yomi Koiki is using his own personal account to collect money. I said I could not do that for accountability and transparency purposes. Thank God I didn’t do it. David Hamilton, my brother brought Yoruba rescue fund, ‘GoFundMe’ that I should use it, I said I would not, that I would not raise a fund that I would not have control over,” she said.

Badejo narrated further that people put a lot of pressure on her to help out and that she decided to hold a town hall meeting on her platform, but that her idea was copied by some Nigerians in the United States of America.

The woman alleged that people urged her to invite Sunday Igboho, but that she refused, saying that this was when they spoke with Sunday Igboho and he did a video, where he reportedly insulted the Ooni of Ife, Osun State, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi.

She added that she then created a GoFundMe account for the purchase of busses for Sunday Igboho group, and that she did not want to use her personal account for the money.

According to her, she did not speak with Sunday Igboho or Koiki or anybody on the matter, but that the whole issue was discussed on her platform

“We did not have the mind to give Sunday Igboho any money. What we planned was to use the money to buy busses for the group. I stood here and raised the money and people responded massively. But, the thing later became an issue.

“Do you remember Teni Omo Ologo. He said Sunday Igboho did not know about the fund and that it was a scam. That was the first obstacle that we had. The money was not meant for Sunday Igboho, it was meant for the purchase of busses.

“I never said it anywhere that I wanted to give Sunday Igboho any money. This was not the first money we will raise on this platform and it will not be the last. This will not stop us from doing what we do on this platform.

“Forget about all the propaganda. You hypocrite, God will punish all of you. I never said for once that I wanted to raise money for Chief Sunday Igboho. We raised the money and Teni Omo Ologo started abusing me that the money was a scam. I challenge all of you agitators and presenters that collect money, how many of you are transparent,” she said.

Badejo then wondered if the whole agitation was about money as she said money has been dominating all the platforms created for the various Yoruba groups.

She added that she did not call Sunday Igboho, when she wanted to raise the money, and that she wanted to avoid trouble from Yoruba people over issues like this before “Fisayo came to beg me here for three days.”

Furthermore, she said that Teni Omo Ologo alleged that some presenters were angry with her, but that she decided not to bother herself over this.

She said: “I thank my brother, Maiyegun General, he did a live show and said everybody should donate to the fund. I will not answer Teni Omo Ologo for what she is saying because we are not on the same level.

“Three days later, Chief Sunday Igboho went to Punch Newspapers and said he did not need Diaspora money. You all know the story and they started making noise that Chief Igboho said he didn’t need our money. It was after this that they made Koiki the spokesperson of the group.

“We had 20,000 pounds sterling in the account, who would resist such. My phone is on automatic recorder. Koiki called me and said we should withdraw the money before the Federal Government of Nigeria would seize it. I said we are not doing illegal thing and that the money was meant for busses.”

She explained further that she told Koiki that there was no reason to panic or withdraw the money and that she told him to go and relax since the money was in the United Kingdom, where she said it was safe.

The woman alleged that two days later, Koiki and Chief Sunday Igboho called her on the phone and told her to break the fund raising and that she should release the money to them.

“I said GoFundMe wanted me to bring some papers before I could collect the money and that as soon as that is done, the money would be paid.

“Surprisingly, three days later, Chief Sunday Igboho and Koiki called me on the phone and Igboho said he did not like the game I was playing. I said “game ke.” I said that I had registered a supporters club, opened a website, created a database, and that we have groups such as security, communication, media and IT, strategic planning, recruitment and training for the purposed of helping his group.

“I told him that we divided ourselves into segments and that people were brainstorming. I was shocked when he mentioned game. I love him with all my heart and I don’t just follow people anyhow, but I didn’t expect that from him,” she said.