I want to address an unfortunate incident involving Omoyele Sowore during the Lagos Marathon. Sowore, a former presidential candidate and student union activist, participated in the marathon with his crew and security team. Video clips from Sahara Reporters showed him sitting under a canopy provided by the event organizers when some young men confronted him. Arguments ensued, and threats were made, with claims that it was “their” event.
Let me clarify something: if you organize a public event like a marathon, it is just that—a public event. It is not your private birthday party or wedding. Participants from all over the world are invited to such events. For anyone to confront a former presidential candidate at a public event is a display of primitive behaviour.
This incident highlights a deeper issue. Sowore is a Nigerian, and he is a Yoruba man. Imagine the outrage if Igbo or Northern participants had attacked him instead. Yet here we have fellow Yoruba men attacking their own, simply because Sowore is critical of the government in Lagos State. Politics should transcend such pettiness.
It is disheartening that the poor and their children often fight the battles of the rich. The children of the wealthy and powerful are usually far removed from such conflicts. They may be overseas or under heavy police protection. Whatever Sowore is fighting for ultimately affects those at the grassroots. So why attack him?
This brings me to the broader point of ethnic divisions and agitations in Nigeria. Some advocate for Biafra, Oduduwa, or Middle Belt independence, but the reality is that we all share common problems. Consider these examples:
When Evans, the notorious kidnapper, was active, he mainly targeted Igbo people—his own people.
In the East, kidnappers and criminals often victimize their fellow Easterners.
In the North, kidnappers and insurgents target fellow Northerners, including high-ranking officials.
In the Niger Delta, many kidnappers are from within the region.
Even in my own community, we have experienced internal issues. If Nigeria were divided into 36 separate countries, the same attitudes of intolerance, violence, and suppression of dissent would persist. Whether it’s a Yoruba king ordering someone to kneel or an imam being attacked, these behaviours reflect a nationwide problem.
We must speak out against oppression and suppression of dissent, no matter who is involved. Attacking Sowore during a marathon was despicable and primitive. What must the foreign participants and winners—many of whom were from Ethiopia—have thought of such behaviour?
As a society, we need a mindset shift. We need to learn how to disagree peacefully without resorting to threats or violence.
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God bless you.
