Former presidential candidate insists meaningful change requires disruption, warns citizens not to stand in the way of those willing to challenge the system
Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has issued a forceful defense of his confrontational approach to activism, arguing that Nigeria's deeply entrenched system of corruption and injustice cannot be reformed through polite diplomacy alone.
In an interview with online platform AF24NEWS, Sowore pushed back against critics who label his methods overly aggressive, insisting that those who call for "minor reforms" are often the same individuals benefiting from the very structures they claim to oppose.
'If You Want Complacency, I'm Not Your Ally'
Sowore, who has built a reputation for unflinching criticism of successive Nigerian governments, made clear that he has no interest in alliances with those who seek incremental change.
"The questions to ask are who the allies are and what they want to ally with? If you want to ally with complacency and diplomacy, I'm not your ally," he declared. "If you want the system to just be reformed a bit, so that you can benefit, those are the people you constantly hear from."
His message was unambiguous: true change requires disruption.
"If I'm not here to disrupt the system, I have no business complaining about it. It is a sign that I am satisfied with it," he said.
Redefining 'Confrontation'
The activist challenged the negative connotations attached to confrontation, arguing that the term is often misused to delegitimize legitimate dissent.
"When you say confrontational, what do you call confrontation? Somebody standing to say, 'Hey, we need to change direction?'" he asked.
He offered a practical example: "If I stop on the road and dismantle a roadblock by myself, and I record it, people say, 'Oh, that's confrontational.' That's confrontation when I'm dismantling corruption."
According to Sowore, protest is not merely a right but a historical necessity that every major Nigerian leader has embraced—until they reached power.
The Hypocrisy of Nigeria's Ruling Class
In a pointed critique of the political elite, Sowore reminded Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, and even Olusegun Obasanjo all participated in protest movements before ascending to leadership positions.
"(Muhammadu) Buhari protested, (Olusegun) Obasanjo protested, (Umaru) Yar'adua's uncle protested and died in detention. Tinubu used to be the leader of the protest movement since 1992, both at home and abroad," Sowore recounted.
The irony, he suggested, is that those who once led marches now condemn similar actions by citizens demanding accountability.
"You don't understand how a protest works when it benefits you, but when it doesn't affect you, it is confrontation," he observed.
The Stakes of Inaction
Sowore framed the choice before Nigerians in stark terms. The current trajectory of poverty, corruption, and infrastructural decay, he argued, is neither inevitable nor acceptable.
"We don't need poverty and corruption to cripple our society and kill our people. We need children to go to school," he said.
He warned those who are "afraid" to challenge the system not to obstruct those willing to take risks.
"If you can't do it and you're afraid to do it, don't stand in the way of somebody who has the mind to take on the system because there's nowhere in the world that you want a system to change without confrontation," he insisted.
A Long History of Defiance
Sowore's comments arrive against the backdrop of his own extensive history of activism, including his arrest and brief detention by the Department of State Services in 2019 after calling for a revolution. His Sahara Reporters platform has remained a persistent thorn in the side of successive administrations, exposing corruption and amplifying citizen grievances.
For Sowore, the path forward is clear: those who benefit from the status quo will never willingly surrender it. Change, therefore, must be demanded—forcefully, consistently, and without apology.
Whether Nigerians will heed his call remains an open question. But his message to the political class is unmistakable: the same energy that brought you to power can be turned against you when you fail the people you promised to serve.
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