Remember the chaos of October 20 – the rallies, the fire of protest – all in the name of liberty. Omoyele Sowore called for the release of Nnamdi Kanu. He didn’t whisper; he roared. He demanded medical attention, a fair trial, respect for the judiciary—he insisted the laws of this land meant something. The streets of Abuja shook; the police scrambled, tear-gas canisters fired. History already scribbled his name beside “gadfly”.
And yet: the man at the helm of Nigeria’s power structure, Bola Tinubu – once a fighter for democracy – has some explaining to do.
From Democracy Warrior to Power-Player
It’s no secret: Tinubu’s past includes heavy pro-democracy credentials. Back in 1993, as Nigeria reeled from the annulment of the June 12 election, he stood on the floor of the Senate, bold and raw, calling out injustice, naming the coup. He joined the ranks of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). He paid personal price — arrests, detentions, exile. That history is real.
So when you measure Tinubu today, you don’t start from zero. You measure him against that history. Because the man who once denounced lawlessness now oversees a state where lawlessness is the spectacle.
The Ghost of the Activist in the Oval Office
Now: Sowore. Activist, agitator, watchdog. He’s not exactly unanimous in popular opinion, but he played his part. On one side you have a man whose words forced the security state to stir. On the other side: the State — the same State whose power you once opposed.
And Kanu remains detained. No final resolution. A court of law adjourns his trial. A clear case of justice in delay. Telegraph.ng reports that protests mount as police fire tear gas. AP News confirms Abuja floods with tension.
This struggle is no longer about jackets and photos; it’s about the gap between “spoken vengeance against tyranny” and “the approval of the machinery of tyranny”.
Tinubu’s Moral Crossroads
Tinubu, you once stood for something. I’m not saying “glory days”; I’m saying you defined a narrative. Now you owe it. Justice. Transparency. Moral leadership.
If you acknowledged then — as Tinubu did — that an annulled election is a spark for uprising, why is hunger, profiling, marginalisation, and now protest – why are these not equally clear to your sense of justice?
You sit as Commander-in-Chief. The peaceful have been shot. Live rounds. Tear gas. Government pieces of armour… Do you feel the weight? The moral claim you inherited cannot stagnate into scandalous contradiction.
Hypocrisy Wrapped in Legitimacy
Some will say: “But power corrupts.” Fair. But you still carry the badge of legitimacy. You still ride the wave of your nickname “Jaga-Jaga”-crusher, creator of change. That badge means something—unless you let it become hollow.
The ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), remains the “progressive” flag. But when the people under its governance face force rather than redress, progress risks being a slogan.
If Tinubu is consistent, the rebel in him should rise. The Sowore in him — that part that shouted truth to power — should not be dead. Because when you bury that part, you become the monster you once fought.
What Now? The Stakes
- The Federal High Court refused police attempts to block the protest for Kanu’s release. (BusinessDay)
- The US Embassy warned its citizens: stay clear of protest zones. (Independent)
- Some Igbo youth leadership are saying: release Kanu now — no more playing politics. (Vanguard)
- Meanwhile, critics warn—this protest could be a political tool, not merely a justice demand. (ThisDay)
This isn’t theatre. These are people’s lives. The core question: does the Nigerian state stand for law and justice—or does it stand for suppression and expedience?
Tinubu Must Choose
You have a chance, President Tinubu. A chance to align your past and your present.
- Will you be the leader you once pretended to be?
- Or will you enforce the very tyranny you once decried?
If justice means anything, it must mean for everyone. Not only for the dominant tribe, not only for the convenient activist, but for the detained open-enemy of the state. Otherwise your activism is a vestige, not a pillar.
This isn’t a closing note. It’s a marker. Because when you change the narrative, you change the country. When a President reclaims his moral bearing, hundreds of thousands reclaim their hope. And if he fails, we all pay the cost.