Sowore's Mistaken Revolution and the Government's Puerile Apprehension

From the organisers of the #RevolutionNow protest, the street march was billed to start today, 5th of August. However, it was left to be wondered if it is still going to take place following the cladestine arrest of one of the leaders of the movement, Omoyele Sowore by the Department of State Security.

The reasons given by the DSS for Sowore's arrest is that the proposed protest amounts to treason, going by the understanding that the word "revolution" literally connotes a regime change, the forceful takeover of power. This, according to them, was what the arrest was meant to nip on the bud.

Puerile as the fear expressed by the DSS and later corroborated by the Nigerian police could be, going by the simple feeling that it could be the height of lame imagination (the kind undertaken by a baby relishing in freedom as to have nothing to be bothered about), the call by Sowore was provocative to the extent that they should be stirred.

#RevolutionNow, looking at the surface is something that should be tamed before it gravitate to deep surface. Alternately, if a cursory look should be taken, which a study of the demands marshalled out by the movement, which basically are growing concerns of the common citizen- ranging from security to basic living standards, it would be understood how the concept of revolution was just misapplied.

Omoyele Sowore and his collaborators in this mission erred simply by the adoption of such inciting concept. The AAC presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election, by resorting to this reference is giving the impression that he wants to get by force (revolt, revolution) what he woefully lost in the poll.

Regardless of the poor sense of judgement  and his disposition as regards this action could be described as recalcitrant, but honestly, does the Nigerian security apparatus not have much concerns to take on than to be bothered with a harmless action, though threatening the term used could be?

My point is that even as seemingly threatening and calling to anarchy the proposition of #RevolutionNow could be (i.e. on face value), the intents of the proposed #RevolutionNow, as outlined in the circulated demands should have informed the security apparatus that Sowore's terminology was a mere misconception of the spirit of his campaign.

It is based on this, therefore, that I join millions of others calling on the government to immediately and unconditionally release Omoyele Sowore. He has the right as a Nigerian to express his thoughts and also to form assembly, to wit, to protest.

#FreeSowore
#FreeSowore