By Ambassador Chinonso Chukwuemeka
Once again, Omoyele Sowore is back in the headlines, not for a groundbreaking policy idea or for leading a constructive national dialogue, but for mobilising yet another protest that promises more chaos than change.
This time, the self-styled activist says he wants to protest for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Let me be clear: the law must take its full course. Just as Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based agitator associated with IPOB, faced legal consequences in Europe for his actions, so too must the Nigerian legal system be allowed to determine the fate of Nnamdi Kanu without mob pressure or political grandstanding.
Sowore should know better than to turn a legal matter into a campaign stunt ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
If Sowore truly believes in justice, he should mobilise his so-called “115 lawyers” to fight for Nnamdi Kanu’s release in the courtroom, not on the streets of Abuja. Courtrooms, not protests, are where legal arguments are made, evidence is weighed, and justice is dispensed.
His attempt to politicise Kanu’s case is not only reckless but also insensitive to the thousands of Nigerians who have suffered and lost loved ones in the violence perpetrated under the banner of IPOB.
Let’s not forget: IPOB has been legally designated as a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian government. Whether Sowore likes it or not, that status carries weight under the law.
Any association with or defence of the group outside of legal processes can easily be seen as a tacit endorsement of its past violent activities, from attacks on security operatives to the burning of public institutions and killings of innocent citizens in the Southeast.
Sowore’s pattern of using protests as political leverage is nothing new. From his student days at the University of Lagos to his days of the so-called “Revolution Now” protests, his activism has often leaned more toward political theatre than genuine reform.
None of his past street demonstrations has yielded any meaningful result for Nigerians, and this latest one will likely end the same way: loud, lawless, and fruitless.
Nigeria is a democracy guided by law, not a theatre of endless protests. If Sowore truly seeks justice for Nnamdi Kanu, he should respect the court’s authority, not undermine it.
His energy would be better spent supporting legal advocacy, engaging policymakers, or even proposing legislative reforms to address grievances in the Southeast, not inciting another round of disorder that achieves nothing but media attention.
The law is the law, and no amount of street noise can change that. Sowore should put aside his political ambitions long enough to recognise that Nigeria’s stability and unity are far more important than his 2027 campaign optics. The courts are open, that’s where justice for Nnamdi Kanu, if any, will be found.
Until then, let the law take its course.
Ambassador Chinonso Chukwuemeka is a public affairs commentator and writes from Akwa
