Omoyele Sowore

Omoyele "Yele" Sowore (born 16 February 1971) is a Nigerian human rights activist, pro-democracy campaigner, former presidential candidate, and founder of an online news agency Sahara Reporters.[1]

Omoyele Sowore
Sowore in 2016
Born (1971-02-16) 16 February 1971
Ondo State, Nigeria
EducationUniversity of Lagos
Columbia University
OccupationHuman rights activist, blogger, writer, lecturer
Spouse(s)Opeyemi Sowore (m. 2004)
Websitesaharareporters.com

On 3 August, 2019 Sowore was arrested by the Nigerian State Security Service (SSS) for alleged treason after calling for a protest tagged RevolutionNow.[2]

Early life and education

Yele Sowore is from Ese-Odo, Ondo State in South West Nigeria. Sowore was born in the Niger Delta region of the country (comprising six states in South-South region, Ondo, Abia and Imo States) where he was also raised in a polygamous home with sixteen children.[3] At 12, he learned to ride a motorcycle so that he could go to the lake to go fishing for food for his entire family every morning before going to school. Sowore's passion and desire in media was propelled during the military rule in Nigeria.[4]

Sowore studied Geography and Planning at the University of Lagos from 1989 to 1995 with his academic program extended by two extra years after being expelled twice for political reasons and student activism.[5] He was the President of the University of Lagos Student Union Government between 1992 and 1994 where he was involved in anti-cultism and anti-corruption advocacy.[6] Sowore holds a master's degree in Public Administration from Columbia University.[7]

Career

Activism

In 1989, he took part in student demonstrations protesting the conditions of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan of $120 million to be used for a Nigerian oil pipeline. Included among the conditions of the IMF loan, was a reduction in the number of universities in Nigeria from 28 to 5.[8]

Sowore led 5,100 students in protest against the Nigerian government in 1992. The protest resulted in police opening fire and killing seven protesters. Sowore was arrested and tortured. Omoyele was also involved in the demand for democratic government taking over military rule on June 12, 1993. This resulted in several arrests, detentions and life-threatening treatment by government officials.[9]

A journalist, Niyi Babade, in his yet to be published memoir, also acknowledges Sowore's stride in the 12 June struggle - "Unannounced they came out of an unmarked grey vehicle and saw the ugly scenes then opened fire on all of us. I spent some quality time in my resting place the gutter till I heard the singing voices of the students of University of Lagos led by Yele Sowore (now a Sahara reporter) heading to Abiola’s house, I crawled out of my hiding and tried to get an exclusive shot when the hoodlums among the students attacked me and wanted to confiscate my camera but with the heroic effort of Sowore I was spared and allowed to join them as one of the hoodlums and a journalist which then gave me unlimited access to exclusive footage of the day till we got to Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola’s house."[10]

Arrest

On January 12, 2017, the Lagos State Police Command arrested Sowore over a petition by a magazine publisher, Lekan Fatodu [11]. Later in the evening of same day, Sowore confirmed the incident in a video he posted on his Facebook wall where he accused the police of supporting Fatodu while he assaulted him at the Area F Police Command[12].

Sowore was arrested by the DSS on 3 August, 2019 ahead of a planned nationwide #RevolutionNow protest.[13] The Federal Government,[14] which later admitted to the arrest, was condemned by Wole Soyinka, Oby Ezekwesili and many other activists.[15] He was later charged with "conspiracy to commit treason and insulting President Muhammadu Buhari".[16]

On 24 September, 2019, Sowore was granted bail by the Federal High Court Abuja, on the condition that he surrender his international passport within forty-eight hours.[17] The DSS has refused to release Sowore claiming ignorance of the court order. The DSS' refusal to release Sowore led to protests at the UN Plaza in New York led by Sowore's wife[18] and has sparked a global decry on Nigeria's failed democracy.

On 29 September, 2019, Sowore made his first appearance in the media since his detention. He described his poor treatment, being locked up in a dark room without the sunlight. He also mentioned that "Boko Haram commanders who are engaged in high level terrorism have access to telephone, TV and even cable in their cells" while he is being denied such access.[16] The court again set Sowore free on 5 December, 2019, tconfirming that he had settled his bail terms. However, there was a wind of change the next change in court when DSS operatives evaded the premises to re-arrest him.[19] He was finally released on 24 December, 2019.[20]

Sahara Reporters

Sowore started Sahara Reporters in New York City in 2006 to fight against corrupt and wrong government practices.[7] Sahara Reporters is supported by grants from the Ford Foundation and Omidyar Foundation. As part of its policy, Sahara does not accept adverts and financial support from the Nigerian government.[21]

Presidential campaign
Sowore in Luton

On 25 February, 2018, Sowore announced his intention to run for president in the 2019 Nigerian general election.[22] In August 2018, he founded a political party, the African Action Congress (AAC), for which he will run for in 2019.[23] On 6 October, 2018, following successful primary elections at the AAC's national convention, Omoyele Sowore emerged unchallenged as the Presidential Candidate for the party.[24] After touring many states in Nigeria, visiting dignitaries such as the Emir of Kano and Wole Soyinka, Sowore embarked on a fundraising tour around the world including Australia, the United States of America and the UK. He was in Luton (London) on the 10th of November, 2018.

Election result

Muhammdu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 15,191,847 votes to win while his main contender, Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party got 11,264,977 votes to come second. Sowore came fifth with 33,953 votes ahead of other new entrants to the race like Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), who polled 16,779, and Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Democratic Party (YPP), who garnered 21,886 votes.[25]

Personal life

Sowore and his family have been residents of Haworth, New Jersey.[26]

References
  1. Spiegel, Brendan (2011-11-19). "From Safety of New York, Reporting on a Distant Homeland". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-06-17. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  2. siteadmin (2019-08-04). "Sowore Arrested For Planning Revolution-DSS". Sahara Reporters. Archived from the original on 2019-09-07. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  3. "Meet Omoyele Sowore, The Founder Of Sahara Reporters [Photos] - INFORMATION NIGERIA". INFORMATION NIGERIA. 2015-10-24. Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  4. "How I Started SAHARA REPORTERS In 2006 - US Based Founder, OMOYELE SOWORE Tells City People | City People Magazine". City People Magazine. 2017-05-29. Archived from the original on 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  5. "Sowore Was Arrested By The DSS Ahead Of The Planned Protest". EveryEvery. 2019-12-13. Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  6. "Sowore Was Arrested By The DSS Ahead Of The Planned Protest". EveryEvery. 2019-12-13. Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  7. https://www.nigeriagalleria.com. "Omoyele Sowore (Saharareporters.com), Blogger, Writer, Lecturer, Human rights activist, Nigeria Personality Profiles". www.nigeriagalleria.com. Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  8. "How about a Nigeria governed by President Omoyele Sowore? - TheCable". TheCable. 2018-03-05. Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  9. "An analog brain cannot lead a digital youth population". Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  10. "Omoyele Sowore: The Unsung 'Street' Hero of June 12 Struggle". Archived from the original on 2019-07-29. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  11. "Police confirms Sowore's arrest in Lagos". Vanguard News. 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  12. Published. "SaharaReporters founder, Sowore, arrested in Lagos". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  13. "Omoyele Sowore reportedly arrested by DSS". MSN. 3 August 2019. Archived from the original on 3 August 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  14. Press, Fellow (2019-08-04). "Why DSS arrested Omoyele Sowore, Presidency reveals". Nigeria News | FellowPress.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-04. Retrieved 2019-08-04.
  15. Press, Fellow (2019-08-04). "Sowore's arrest: Buhari, Abacha's regime identical". Nigeria News | FellowPress.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-04. Retrieved 2019-08-04.
  16. "Sowore: DSS denied me phone access but granted same to Boko Haram commanders". TheCable. 2019-09-30. Archived from the original on 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  17. "Even though he had been granted bail, Sowore is still in DSS custody". www.pulse.ng. 2019-09-26. Archived from the original on 2019-09-27. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
  18. "Sowore not yet released by DSS, wife leads anti-Buhari protest in UN". P.M. News. 2019-09-24. Archived from the original on 2019-09-28. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
  19. writer, Adelowo AdegboyegaA; Analyst, Political; ONLY, journalist who believes in journalism for the advancement of the society (2019-12-06). "BREAKING: DSS Rearrests, Detains Sowore, Bakare [VIDEO]". ODU News. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  20. "BREAKING :DSS Finally Releases Sowore". Punch. 2019-12-24. Archived from the original on 2019-12-25. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  21. Shenon, Philip (2010-08-12). "Sahara Reporters: Uncovering Nigeria's Corruption". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  22. Bada, Gbenga. "SaharaReporters publisher to contest against Buhari in 2019". Archived from the original on 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  23. Ebuzor, Chika. "N100,000 for corps members monthly- Omoyele Sowore". Pulse. Archived from the original on 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  24. "2019: Sowore emerges AAC presidential candidate". 2018-10-07. Archived from the original on 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  25. "2019 Election Result". Archived from the original on 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  26. Kaulessar, Ricardo. "Trial to begin for Omoyele Sowore, the Haworth journalist imprisoned in his native Nigeria" Archived 2019-11-11 at the Wayback Machine, The Record (North Jersey), November 5, 2019. Accessed December 25, 2019. "Omoyele Sowore's family and friends are hoping the Haworth resident will come back to New Jersey soon."
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