Public affairs analyst and writer Gimba Kakanda has defended activist Omoyele Sowore’s right to protest, saying ridicule over his decision to flee a protest scene on Monday was misplaced.
However, Kakanda made it clear that he does not support Sowore’s call for the release of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu before the conclusion of his trial.
In a statement shared on social media, Kakanda said while he disagrees with many of Sowore’s positions, he respects him for occupying a vital space in Nigeria’s civic life and ensuring balance in the absence of a strong opposition.
“I do not share Sowore’s call for Nnamdi Kanu’s release before the conclusion of his judicial process, and also don’t subscribe to his positions on a lot of matters. But I respect him… What matters is the protection of that right, for it is what keeps democracy from degenerating into tyranny,” he said.
Kakanda condemned what he described as public mockery of Sowore, noting that democracy guarantees the right to peaceful assembly regardless of differing opinions.
The writer, however, criticized Nnamdi Kanu’s past actions, describing him as a man whose violent rhetoric and directives plunged the South-East into chaos.
He accused Kanu of inciting killings, issuing threats, and unleashing a “reign of terror” that destroyed the region’s economy and social stability.
“He unleashed a monster that consumed the very people he claimed to protect. Even those now marching for his extrajudicial freedom have not been spared by the chaos he created,” Kakanda wrote.
He maintained that justice must be served through due legal process rather than through street agitation, emphasizing that Kanu must face the full weight of the law for his alleged actions.
“Justice must take its course in the courtroom, not in the streets. Those who died as a result of Kanu’s violent campaign can no longer speak for themselves, and Sowore is not among his victims,” he added.
Kakanda concluded by urging Nigerians to acknowledge Sowore’s longstanding activism and refrain from ridiculing him, warning that those in power today might one day depend on his voice.
“Government is a temporary station… Let us disagree with Sowore if we must, but not deride him for escaping a scene that could have turned deadly.
There is no shame in self-preservation. The real shame lies in a nation where courage becomes a crime,” he stated.
