By KEMI KASUMU
“In a sane country you don’t systematically plan to topple a democratically elected government by staging a forceful protest, calling for a revolution. I think Buhari government is tolerant to a fault. While the government is taking stock and counting losses to lives and property as a result nationwide protest, you’re calling for a repeat and expect you’ll be allowed. That’s naive, foolish and irresponsible. The government should put its foot down and confront the bullies, enough is enough.”
Attempt by Omoyele Sowore, who failed as Presidential Candidate of AAC in the 2019 election, to hijack already settled #ENDSARS protests in Nigeria and replace it, in disguise, with his #RevolutionNow protests has been busted and resisted by Nigerians.
Sowore shared this unnamed girl picture from Deji Adeyanju, both claiming she was arrested following”#ENDSARS protest at National Assembly on Friday November 7, 2020 tortured to write statement under duress. But Nigerians countered him on wall saying girl was #RevolutionNow protester.
The people resisted the attempt with calls that government should tame excesses of the Sahara Reporters publisher before he plunges the country into a bigger mess by his ‘sponsored’ mission than the nation witnessed recently.
Sowore, by his activities lately, has been making effort to assert himself as a leading force in #ENDSARS protests that kicked off in Lagos and spread to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja as well as parts of Southern Nigeria, which led to killing of many police officers, civilians, looting and burning of properties.
It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had, without delay, granted the demands of the protesters first of which was the disbandment of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). But hijackers of the protests refused to leave the streets until it snowballed into the carnage that took place and characterised by mixture of truths and falsehoods as well as Fake News, upon which interests based their condemnations of the government.
Recall also that it took the President’s nationwide broadcast for the unrest to stop, during which he advised members of the international communities to always seek facts before making their pronouncements and judgements about happenings in Nigeria, and warned individuals and groups locally and their foreign collaborators to stop their undemocratic activities as, according to him, his government would not fold its arms and allow anyone to destabilise the country.
Sowore staged a revolutionary protest with publicly declared intent to overthrow the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019. He was, for that reason of alleged treason, arrested by operatives of Department of State Services (DSS), remanded in prison custody and released on order of court with well stated bail conditions.
He was rearrested after several breaches of the bail conditions including attempt to incite public against the DSS and was again incarcerated until his final release on December 31, eve of 2019 Christmas, based on what Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), described as magnanimity of President Buhari.
Sowore’s trial, however, is still ongoing in a Nigerian court sitting in Abuja and with his bail conditions intact. He is believed to be a willing tool for enemies of Nigeria – locally and internationally – to cause trouble in effort to destabilise Nigeria.
Since the end of #ENDSARS protests, Omoyele Sowore has remained on the street with many of his posts on social media apparently inciting public of Nigeria and abroad against the country’s government and its security agencies. He does this in collaboration with Deji Adeyanju, whose post on a girl he claimed was arrested after “#ENDSARS protest” at National Assembly Friday morning November 7, 2020 told how she claimed having been tortured by security agents to write statement under duress.
Busting his latest claims, Nigerians exposed Sowore’s attempt to smuggle in #RevolutionNow agenda, which he allegedly embarked upon as a coup for the undemocratic change of government, and make it look like #ENDSARS protests.
Within few hours on Saturday that he shared the Deji Adeyanju’s post on his Facebook wall, he was confronted with many unfavourable comments among which the girl in question was revealed to be of the #RevolutionNow and #ENDSARS.
The responses on Sowore’s wall were “so unfavourable” that few among his supporters expressed disappointment that “some Nigerians love suffering and smiling” by the comments they were making and asked them “to continue to support bad government”.
But the respondents, numbering over 300 under three hours, did not stop to condemn Sowore and warn him and his co-travellers against allowing themselves to be used to destabilise their own Nigeria.
Read some of the responses below:
AbdulRasheed Olatunbosun Kareem busted his lies to say the lady Sowore claimed was arrested and tortured after protesting against #ENDSARS at National Assembly on Friday November 5, 2020 was of #RevolutionNow protest time.
“The lady carried placard of revolution now not endsars don’t mix up the information.”
Timothy Adeosun said: “AbdulRasheed Olatunbosun Kareem hmmm…u just busted the guy…..though i am endsars protester fan but i hate nonsense and insincerity….those protesting now are revolutionnow.”
Abdulhameed Ajibola Parati said: “It’s a surprise for some so call youth that found it difficult to understand that both Sowore and Adeyanju are using them for their own political agenda. Wise up.”
Adetoro Adediran Emmanuel said: “No one listens to all ur lies again, Sars has been officially disbanded for Gods sake, now u r safe, u left ur comrades in detention d same way celebrities left dos young protesters to suffer injuries during d protest, Youth pls be wise o.”
Moses Adekunle said: “The same police brutality we are still talking about…. This country needs overhauling.”
Mohammed Shehu Korau said: “Why are the smaller comerades getting arrested and the mighty comerades are the ones reporting about it, While it should have been the other way around?”
Olufemi Abiola said: “You are the one orchestrating the madnesses by allowing yourself to be used to destabilize your country for selfish intresst.”
Ndifreke Edet said: “This is an unlawful assembly, Mutiny in an attempt to dethrone the president.there is no basis for the fucken protest since it has been scrapped by the government…so he or she should rot in jail for all I care ….Unam ikot.”
Otabor Friday Osagie said: “I pity for some young persons listening to Sowore…Why are his children not here in Nigeria to join in the protest? Revolution does not start in the city. It begins in the bush. That is where he should start from. Museveni, Castro and others were in the bush fighting.”
Olubunmi Sunday Otto-Peters said: “Alaye stop putting the lives of these people in danger,we all know that the #endsars movement has been eased for now what I wonder your motive and agenda for trying to creat this commotion and endangering your friends lives.”
OluwaBayode Kunle Jegede said: “Clowns posing as activists comrades, all for the ‘stomach infrastructure’ sake!!! Run ya #Revolution race alone ooo.. Youths are 150% wiser now! ???.”
Idowu Adewusi said: “You just want to be the leader of ENDSARS movement so badly.Do something unique if you want to protest and not ENDSARS.You not different from the politicians.Ordinary 1 million dollars campaign money was mismanaged by you and no trace till now.So where’s the accountability and responsibility.You a sore loser.You doing all these for your selfish gain.”
Hassan Muhammad said: “Is this a comrade or area boy?”
Jumat Tobi said: “Funny enough before the police came we were seeings post of deji and sowore leading the protests and boom police arrest 5person and none of deji and sowore were arrested? How come? Did the police intentionally skip you guys or did you hide or run away? If it were to be the late fela anikulapo he will follow his comrades to enter the van.”
Clement Dele Adeyemi said: “No one listens to your lies again. Telling lies has become your stock in trade.”
Musa Kuta said: “SARS has been officially disbanded also all #EndSars demands were taking into consideration by the government, therefore anybody partaking in any form of protest or unlawful assembly would be treated as criminal.”
Emmanuel Edwin said: “Until you bring your family back to Nigeria, I will be a fool to take you serious ….”
Austin Nmakwe OD said: “In a sane country you don’t systematically plan to topple a democratically elected government by staging a forceful protest, calling for a revolution.”
“I think Buhari government is tolerant to a fault.
While the government is taking stock and counting losses to lives and property as a result nationwide protest, you’re calling for a repeat and expect you’ll be allowed.
That’s naive, foolish and irresponsible.
The government should put its foot down and confront the bullies, enough is enough.”
Samuel Silver said: “Any youth who loves him or herself would not go out this time around to protest for ” end SARS” with all the destruction that resulted from the previous protest. Everyone should be careful this time around, how many celebrities were arrested when the protest turned otherwise, Sowore, himself, was he arrested??.. please.”
Ibrahim Ishola Ijaola said: “Everything about Sahara reporter is fraud nothing can surprise me about your lies.
“This one that looks like escaping criminal from Edo state.. she will be there long until her brain is reset.”
Tijani Hassan said: “Those guys should be flog mercilessly.”
Baba Ifagbemileke Ife Ifasoranti-Agbefidudusola said: “The wicked people working for this wicked politicians will pay dearly one day.”
Ejiro Abduljalil Olokpa asked: “Wait. Is Sowore still a youth?”
Johnny Goodluck said: “Ejiro Abduljalil Olokpa Madness dey worry am. Na de idiots when he dey fit mislead I blame!”
Oladapo Oluwadare Ajayi said: “Still wondering, after the disbandment of SARS,Sowore,his financiers and gullible footsoldiers would get what they deserve soonest.
“This rubbish cant make you guys heroes, nor earn your portfolio in our political space either now or in the future, which is you bunch of crooks aim.”
Adeoye Kehinde David said: “Awon comrade werey…the same way celebrities left young protesters to suffer injuries..
“Youths should be wise o. Why didn’t they arrest you? Why must it be those young boys and girls…”
Ebor Peter Akpofure said: “We are not in anyway close to a democracy in Nigeria, people should stop talking about democracy, its absolutely a detatorship govt, no respect for rule of laws all they know is abuse of power. Endsars and Endbadgovt.”
Dave Ima said: “Omoyele Sowore, you must rethink, if you still believe in one Nigeria, go do this protest yourself and stop endangering the lives of our youths , one Nigeria is not in existence , if you are protesting for true Federalism or disintegration of the Union , that’s understandable, asking these Cattle farmers. And think you as a Christian have no right in the country, you are just making a mistake , Again how do you think now about GEJ?????”
