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    Omoyele Sowore (born February 16, 1971) is a Nigerian politician, human rights activist, citizen journalist, writer, educator, and pro-democracy campaigner who founded the internet news outlet Sahara Reporters.

    In August 2018, he created the African Action Congress party and stood for president in the 2019 Nigerian general election. Sowore also stood for president in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections.

    On August 3, 2019, Sowore was detained by the Nigerian State Security Service (SSS) for alleged treason after calling for a RevolutionNow demonstration. He was arrested and attacked during a rally in Abuja on January 1, 2021. Sowore was hurt by a police officer during a protest in Abuja on May 31, 2021.

    Omoyele Sowore Biography

    omoyele-sowore-biography
    Photo by Olukayode Jaiyeola/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Omoyele Yele Sowore is from Ese-Odo, Ondo State, in southwest Nigeria. Sowore was born in the country’s Niger Delta region (which includes six South-South states: Ondo, Abia, and Imo), where he was nurtured in a polygamous home with sixteen children.

    He learnt to ride a motorcycle when he was 12 years old so that he could go to the lake every morning before school to fish for food for his entire family. During Nigeria’s military regime, Sowore developed a strong enthusiasm and interest in journalism.

    Sowore studied Geography and Planning at the University of Lagos from 1989 to 1995, with his academic program prolonged for an additional two years after he was expelled twice for political and student activities.

    Between 1992 to 1994, he was President of the University of Lagos Student Union Government, where he advocated against cultism and corruption. Sowore earned a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University.

    Career

    In 1989, he took part in student demonstrations against the terms of a $120 million loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a Nigerian oil pipeline. The IMF financing included a reduction in the number of Nigerian universities from 28 to 5.

    In 1992, Sowore spearheaded a demonstration of 5,100 students against the Nigerian government. During the rally, police opened fire and killed seven demonstrators. Sowore was arrested and abused.

    Sowore was also involved in the call for a democratic administration to take over military control in Nigeria on June 12, 1993. As a result, government officers arrested, detained, and threatened the lives of protesters.

    On January 12, 2017, the Lagos State Police Command detained Sowore in response to a petition filed by Lekan Fatodu, a magazine publisher. Later that evening, Sowore confirmed the event in a video posted on his Facebook page, accusing the police of assisting Fatodu when he assaulted him at the Area F Police Command.

    Sowore was arrested by the DSS on August 3, 2019, ahead of the scheduled nationwide #RevolutionNow rally. Wole Soyinka, Oby Ezekwesili, and many other activists attacked the Federal Government after it admitted to the arrest. He was later charged with “conspiracy to commit treason and insulting President Muhammadu Buhari”.

    On September 24, 2019, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted Sowore bail, under the condition that he surrender his international passport within 48 hours.

    The DSS has refused to release Sowore, claiming ignorance of the court order. The DSS’ refusal to release Sowore spurred protests at the UN Plaza in New York, spearheaded by Sowore’s wife, and sparked a global uproar about Nigeria’s failed democracy.

    On September 29, 2019, Sowore made his first media appearance since his incarceration. He revealed his mistreatment, including being locked up in a dark chamber without sunlight.

    He further stated 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 denied such access.

    On December 5, 2019, the court released Sowore after determining that he had met his bail conditions. However, there was a wind of change in court when DSS operatives fled the scene to re-arrest him. He was finally released on December 24, 2019.

    On December 8, 2021, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to compensate Omoyele Sowore 2 million Naira for the unlawful seizure of his mobile phone during his arrest in 2019.

    Omoyele Sowore filed a lawsuit against the Nigeria Police Force and three others in March 2022 at the Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged violations of his fundamental human rights.

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) detained Sowore at the Murtala Muhammed airport upon his arrival from the United States in September 2024 because he was alleged to be planning another protest in October.

    He was released after a brief detention and passport seizure, according to a post on his Verified X (formerly Twitter) handle.

    omoyele-sowore-biography
    Photo Credit: @sowore

    Sowore founded Sahara Reporters in New York City in 2006 to combat corrupt and unethical government actions. Sahara Reporters receives funding from the Ford Foundation and the Omidyar Network. As part of its stance, Sahara does not take advertisements or financial support from the Nigerian government.

    On February 25, 2018, Sowore announced his desire to run for president in Nigeria’s 2019 general election. In August 2018, he launched the African Action Congress (AAC), for which he plans to run in 2019.

    Following victorious primary elections at the AAC’s national convention on October 6, 2018, Omoyele Sowore was declared the party’s Presidential Candidate without opposition.

    After traveling several states in Nigeria and meeting luminaries such as the Emir of Kano and Wole Soyinka, Sowore embarked on a fundraising trip of Australia, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom. He was in Luton, England, on November 10, 2018.

    Sowore also ran as the presidential candidate of his party (AAC) in the 2023 general election, when he received 14,608 votes in what he termed as a “selection”.

    Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won with 15,191,847 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party finished second with 11,264,977 votes.

    Sowore finished fifth with 33,953 votes, ahead of other newcomers to the contest, including Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), who received 16,779 votes, and Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Democratic Party (YPP), who received 21,886 votes.

    On March 1, 2022, Sowore announced his desire to run for president in Nigeria’s 2023 general election.

    Controversy

    Omoyele Sowore, an African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, was remanded in Kuje Prison in 2026 after becoming embroiled in a dispute. The scandal arose from his social media remarks in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal.”

    This statement was posted on his “X” and Facebook accounts, and the DSS filed the two-count cybercrime accusation against him. The court revoked Sowore’s bail and issued a warrant for his arrest, with the case due to continue on June 24, 2026.

    Sowore’s legal team had earlier decided to represent him on his own after withdrawing from the case. The matter has been delayed until June 24, 2026, to consider the application for a stay of execution.

    Personal Life

    Sowore and his family have lived in Haworth, New Jersey, United States. In September 2021, it was reported that Sowore’s younger brother had been shot killed by herders or kidnappers in Edo.

    In October 2019, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court’s Abuja Division restricted Sowore from going outside of Abuja. According to Sowore, the limitation kept him from attending his brother’s funeral.

    Omoyele Sowore Net Worth

    Omoyele Sowore’s net worth is said to be between $10 million and $15 million. He is well-known as the founder of the news website Sahara Reporters, which has significantly enhanced his earnings. Sowore is also considered as a prominent human rights activist and politician in Nigeria.

    Social Media

    X: @sowore

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