By Ambassador Chukwuemeka Chinonso
In the digital age where viral headlines often overshadow factual nuance, it has become all too easy to accuse and condemn without evidence.
The recent claim that Aku Victor Chiemerie deliberately snatched Omoyele Sowore’s Ray-Ban AI-powered eyeglasses during a protest is not only misleading but dangerously irresponsible.
A careful examination of available footage and eyewitness accounts reveals a more plausible, less conspiratorial scenario: the glasses might have fallen and been damaged in the ensuing chaos of the protest.
Let us first address the nature of protests, especially those involving emotionally charged participants and public figures like Sowore.
Demonstrations are unpredictable. Crowds shift rapidly, tensions rise, and any number of unintended consequences can occur. In such an environment, even something as simple as a pair of glasses can easily fall and be trampled underfoot, especially if the wearer is involved in a physical altercation or is jostled in the crowd. Â
Available video clips from the protest show a moment of commotion but do not capture any clear footage of Aku Victor Chiemerie snatching anything from Sowore, let alone a high-tech pair of Ray-Bans.Â
The allegation seems to stem more from politically motivated speculation than from objective observation. There is a distinct line between asserting a fact and fueling a narrative, and this particular accusation appears to cross that line without credible support.
My investigation shows that Aku Victor Chiemerie has no record of misconduct that would suggest he would engage in such petty, aggressive behaviour.
Also, Aku Victor Chiemerie should be commended for successfully stopping the protesters from gaining access to the Force Headquarters, which might have caused serious property destruction. He saved the police a whole lot of embarrassment!
Come to think of it, what if they have gained access to the Force Headquarters? What was their intention? Why was Sowore pushing police personnel to enter the Force headquarters with spyware glasses?
We must also consider the symbolic significance that some may attach to the glasses themselves. Because they are Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, their value extends beyond price tags into realms of image, tech prestige, and possibly political messaging. But assigning blame for their loss without clear evidence is not just an overreach; it’s a distortion of the truth.
Even if the glasses were broken during the protest, it’s far more reasonable to assume they were either dropped during the scuffle or crushed unintentionally by protesters moving in the heat of the moment.
What this incident truly demands is sober reflection, not sensationalism. If a protest for police welfare becomes a tool for assigning baseless blame to an individual, we risk undermining the very cause the protesters claim to support.
In the end, truth must prevail over conjecture. Aku Victor Chiemerie did not snatch Sowore’s glasses.
That claim, like many politically convenient myths, is unsupported by concrete evidence and contradicted by the reality of a turbulent, unstructured protest environment. Let us not be so quick to indict before we investigate.
Written by Ambassador Chukwuemeka Chinonso. He is the National Coordinator of Ndigbo Young Professionals based in Akwa, Anambra State.
