Another View on The Southerner Newspaper 

Saturday, November 1, 2025

Nigeria is the way it is because a tiny group of our large population are holding the people captive. And, the Nigerian people have cowardly surrendered themselves to be enslaved.

The tiny ruling class has callously weaponized poverty, political and economic privileges to hold the mass of the people to ransom.

Since independence, this privileged class has deliberately refused to organize the Nigerian state to function with all its natural resources that, God Almighty has blessed her with. It is all about their economic and political interest against the larger population and national interest.

The ruling elites harass, abuse, brutalize, torture, imprison and sometimes kill ordinary Nigerians, so they can have their way and say.

The Nigerian economic and politically privileged class has cornered all the socio-economic and political interests to themselves. They own the banks, the oil wells and farmlands. Telecom companies ommunication and airlines belong to them. They run the hospitals, schools and religious organizations. They determine the structure of the industries and markets. They are in control of government from Abuja, the centre of federal might to our villages.

Nigeria as a country, despite all its natural endowments and financial muscle is sinking by the day. We have moved from Giant of Africa to a Generator Country. All because of the rudderless and inhuman rulers who have held the helm of affairs of the country since the birth of Nigeria.

You may not appreciate the approach of Omoyele Sowore, the radical activist, politician, publisher and advocate for social change but his anger and frustrations are the fact that, the Nigerian state is not working. He is against the men who have kept this country on its knees for 65 years.

You may frown at his many battles with the authorities, his style of confronting the government. Yet, you cannot fault the truth in his messages. The courage he displays is legendary. The sincerity and doggedness attached to his many battles cannot be questioned even with the attempts to silence him by the state forces.

No doubt, it is amazing and quite rare, but he is who he is – the quintessential activist.

I cannot remember exactly when and where Sowore and I first met. But I am too sure it was in the days of our struggle for the revalidation of June 12 and, seeking for the restoration of the human rights of the Nigerian people that brought us together.

We were both at the University of Lagos, but I never got myself involved in campus politics for once as I was more engaged in financial and economic struggles to remain in school and give support to my parents.

We often met at street protests against the military and, offices of Civil Society Organisations for meetings. My heart is full of happiness today that, someone like Sowore is still standing like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi of blessed memory. I am encouraged and impressed that, Fawehinmi reincarnated in Sowore.

This friend and comrade, revolutionary fighter, human rights activist, defender of the oppressed, anti-corruption crusader and campaigner for good governance, has remained in the forefront of the battlefield despite all attacks from the security agencies.

As the Students’ Union President of the University of Lagos in his days, he took his assignment religiously. He didn’t fail to be up and doing. No pretences. He was against the poor conditions meted out to students by the authorities of the institution. He kept faith with the students.

During the National University Games hosted by the University of Lagos, I think in 1995 or 1996, he challenged the then Vice President, Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe for coming to the University community with loads of security men. He queried the VP on his government’s commitment to Nigerian students that necessitated his coming to declare the students games open. He refused the VP from speaking and there was a scuffle and throw of punches between Sowore and Akhigbe. It was the intervention of Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rttd) then the administrator of Lagos State that saved the ugly situation.

Sowore aligned with fellow activist students from other campuses, labour, human and political rights activists and revolutionary minds to question and demanded that, the military vacate governance for civilian rule.

In one of his battles against the menace of campus cultists at the University of Lagos, he was attacked and injected with substance suspected to be dangerous to his health. He was rescued and taken to hospital for immediate treatment and later flown abroad. As God willed it, he survived and never surrendered his campaigns against evil and satanic leaders.

He travelled to the United States to stabilize his health and sought for educational advancement. His patriotic zeal for a better Nigeria never left him. His love for the masses and a decent society did not allow him to be carried away by the beauty and sweet life of the US.

He continued to frequent the country and connect with his fellow activists to discuss the state of the nation. The political confusion and derailment of Nigeria engaged his mind.

He established SaharaReporters, an online media group in far away United States of America. He dedicated the media group to fighting the ills in the society. The media group focused its attention on thorough investigations to unravel corruption in high places and, fighting mis-governance and injustice in Nigeria without fear or favour.

Severally, he has been arrested, brutalized and detained but his spirit has never been broken. He doesn’t shy away from saying it the way it is.

His activism doesn’t end in Lagos, ‘Sho Baba’, as some of us fondly call him, is prepared to travel to any part of the country to fight against injustice, corruption and mis-governance. He spares no person in his crusade against the bad system that Nigeria has become.

He may not be right always in his approach, as some have criticised some of his actions but we cannot fail to acknowledge his deep commitment to a functioning Nigeria, the Nigeria that works. Nigeria as it is presently is not functioning as it should. That is the truth. The country is only favourable to the privileged class.

Sowore remains indefatigable with an indomitable spirit. Always eager to stand up against bad government policies even if he is standing alone. He is today championing retired Police officers’ non payment of entitlements by the Police authority yet, the same Police are used to harass, kick, punch and drag him like a common thief in a market place.

He has refused to be cowed by any force. He has been humiliated and brutalized by the security agents, yet, he is still standing tall.

Sowore is today leading protests for the release of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. He is Yoruba from one of the riverine communities in Ondo state. This is the evidence that his civil rights campaigns know no bounds. He is non-religious, non-tribal and a friend of the masses. He has signed his signature on the freedom of Kanu.

I have never caught Sowore and some other very highly committed activists like, Richard Akinnola, Suraj Olanrewaju, Lanre Ehonwa, Chido Onumah, etc. smoking or drinking alcohol as some of us do while relaxing or brainstorming.

So, he cannot be described as someone usually under the influence of any substance. Rather, it is his faith and belief in Nigeria that propels him. It is his love, commitment and belief that, the country can be gotten right if only our leaders chose the right path that fuels his activism.

Through the efforts of Sowore, a lot of unjustly imprisoned and detained persons have been freed. He dared where most lawyers and journalists chickened out.

It is however alarming, worrisome that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president of Nigeria and his appointed Inspector-General of Police have humiliated brutalized and abused the rights of this known human rights crusader.

It is quite unfortunate that Nigeria and several Nigerians are passing through illegal arrests, torture, brutality, inhuman treatment and killings under Tinubu. Very disappointing!

President Tinubu was on the side of the civil rights activists and revolutionaries in the dark days of the military and PDP years in the Villa. All through, the then President Goodluck Jonathan did not stop him nor sought for his arrest or harassment. It is surprising that, Tinubu is allowing the IGP to maliciously maltreat and humiliate Sowore because of his human rights activities.

Tinubu was a prominent voice and figure in the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO. So, why is he now an anti- democratic force? Many believed that the President won’t for any reason fail to adhere and support the civil rights of Nigerians. Many believed he has no reason to fail in this respects. That, whatever the case, he would curtail the embarrassment of the security agencies but alas, we have entered ‘one chance.’

When some of us rise up against unfavourable policies of government, mis-governance and abuse of civil rights of citizens, it is born out of conviction that human rights are sacred. Since the ordained ministers of God are not championing the course, then some of us with conscience need to take up the challenge because every life is important and, we have no other country to call ours.

When the country is gotten right by the elected or appointed leaders, certainly, there won’t be any need for the likes of Sowore to be hand in gloves against the state. It is the poor welfare in the country that has encouraged and emboldened him to come out.