Omoyele Sowore, a prominent human rights advocate and former presidential hopeful, has asserted that Nigeria has yet to achieve genuine independence, despite more than sixty years since its emancipation from British colonial domination.
In a statement shared on Nigeria’s Independence Day, Sowore contended that the annual celebrations do not mark the liberation of Nigerians themselves but rather commemorate the freedom of the former colonial rulers.
“What we are striving for is Nigeria’s nigeria-65-shameful-dependence-delta-monarch/” title=”… at 65: Delta Monarch Condemns Nation's Struggle for True … as a National Shame”>true independence. The event being celebrated is actually the independence of the colonial powers. Our own freedom remains elusive, which is why protests occur every Independence Day,” he emphasized.
Known for his outspoken criticism of various administrations, Sowore expressed concern that Nigerians continue to endure oppression and hardship under what he described as “modern-day colonial and enslaving forces.”
“Our quest for independence continues; we seek liberation from these new colonial overlords and oppressors. The reality is that we live under a system akin to apartheid,” he remarked.
He also challenged the current governance framework in Nigeria, pointing out that a country where workers are denied pensions and where freedom of speech is suppressed cannot be deemed truly independent.
“A nation where laborers receive no pension benefits is not free. Likewise, a place where citizens are imprisoned for voicing dissent is far from independent. This mirrors the tactics once employed by colonial rulers,” Sowore asserted.
Highlighting the similarities between historical colonial repression and contemporary restrictions, he compared Nigeria’s cybercrime legislation to the old sedition laws used by colonial authorities to silence opposition.
“What is now labeled as cybercrime was previously known as sedition under colonial rule. Speaking out against those in power leads to imprisonment, so our fight for independence is ongoing,” Sowore concluded.
