Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has declared that Nigeria’s true independence begins today, rather than the one historically marked in 1960.
Speaking during the ongoing #FearlessInOctober protest in Ikeja, Lagos, Sowore argued that the independence attained in 1960 was merely a product of the political elite. “What we received in 1960 was the usual political class independence,” Sowore said. “Today, we are fighting for a new independence.”
The human rights activist, known for his advocacy against corruption and bad governance, emphasized that the struggles for true liberation are still ongoing. “Those who have made life miserable for our people – the looters, the corrupt cabals in the oil sector and elsewhere – must be held accountable. Our independence starts now. The independence we got in 1960 was their struggle. We are struggling for a new one,” Sowore told reporters. He linked the current protests to his 2019 *Revolution Now* movement, reiterating his belief that only a revolution can truly save Nigeria.
Sowore also called on the Federal Government to release all protesters detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests two months ago, as well as those still held from the #EndSARS protests of 2020. “We are demanding the immediate release of all detained protesters, whether in Kaduna, Abuja, Katsina, or Kano,” he urged.
Sowore warned of further actions if the government fails to act by the end of the day: “If by today the Federal Government has not released the #EndBadGovernance and #EndSARS protesters, we will announce the next line of action.”
