It’s pure gaslighting for Sowore to compare Nnamdi Kanu to MKO Abiola.
I hear you, @YeleSowore — and as much as I admire your courage and activism, I’m deeply disappointed that you would even attempt to compare Nnamdi Kanu with MKO Abiola or turn this divisive Nnamdi Kanu crusade into a supposed national cause.
While I fully agree that Nnamdi Kanu deserves his day in court and that his trial should be concluded speedily, it’s absurd and unfortunate that you would even place him in the same conversation as the great MKO Abiola.
Or worse still — that you’re now demanding his unconditional release!
You can call for peaceful protests insisting that Nnamdi Kanu be tried fairly and quickly — I might even support you on that, because every accused person, even violent agitators, deserves a fair trial.
But calling for his unconditional freedom without trial? That’s not just reckless — it’s divisive, irresponsible, and frankly delusional. It’s not the kind of position expected from someone who aspires to lead a united Nigeria, let alone someone leading a protest over it.
And now, you’ve gone further by gaslighting Nigerians — comparing MKO Abiola to Nnamdi Kanu? Seriously? On what possible grounds can those two names even be mentioned in the same sentence, much less described as “similar cases”?
Is it by impact?
By national acceptance?
By elections won?
By global recognition?
By contribution to democracy?
By love for Nigeria?
By local and international respect?
Tell us, my brother — on what basis exactly?
FACT CHECKS FOR SOWORE ON NNAMDI KANU
- Nnamdi Kanu openly called for the violent breakup of Nigeria — and for that, he must face trial.
- He urged his followers to attack police officers and harm innocent Lagosians — for that, he must face trial.
- He publicly paraded and inspected men he called the “soldiers of his new Biafra” — right on Nigerian soil.
- He jumped bail, fled the country, and from abroad continued to incite violence and call for Nigeria’s disintegration until he was eventually rearrested.
Now, contrast that with MKO Abiola:
- He won a nationwide election — the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history.
- He was loved across every region, tribe, and religion.
- Even when Babangida unjustly annulled his victory, Abiola never called for violence or Nigeria’s breakup.
- Even in unjust imprisonment, he never urged anyone to destroy the country or attack its people.
So honestly, Sowore — what exactly are you talking about when you equate Nnamdi Kanu’s situation with MKO Abiola’s?
Adults don’t compare death to sleep dominated by snores.
NNAMDI KANU’S “SUPPORT BASE”
Nnamdi Kanu isn’t even widely loved across Igboland — the region he claims to represent. His followers enforce obedience through illegal sit-at-home orders, terrorizing the very people they claim to fight for.
If Kanu were truly loved, he wouldn’t have to rule by fear or intimidation from prison.
The truth is simple:
- Nnamdi Kanu is an unrepentant, violent dissident who advocates chaos and destruction.
- MKO Abiola was a peaceful national hero who stood for unity and democracy.
Kanu faces trial for crimes he boastfully committed and still shows no remorse for, while Abiola died defending Nigeria’s democratic mandate.
Kanu has never even won a local government election. He has no legitimate constituency — no community that willingly follows him. He leads only a handful of rabble-rousers bent on unleashing violence and destruction, including in Lagos.
And yet, Sowore — you compare him to MKO Abiola? Seriously?
I’m genuinely shocked, Sowore — especially coming from you, a man who proudly flaunts photos with MKO Abiola and claims to have fought for his mandate. You of all people should know the difference.
Frankly, it’s this kind of rhetoric that makes one question whether you truly understand what national leadership requires. I honestly thought you had matured politically — that you were ready to evolve into the face of a credible national opposition. But this Nnamdi Kanu obsession suggests otherwise.
If you ever became president, would you just allow every violent agitator to run loose? Would you free Nnamdi Kanu — whose IPOB faction still promotes hatred and violence against other Nigerians, including Lagosians?
Even Nelson Mandela wasn’t released until he renounced violence as a political tool. And Mandela was a global moral icon — not a rabble-rouser. It’s almost sacrilegious to mention Nnamdi Kanu and Nelson Mandela in the same breath, but the comparison highlights a key point about principle and maturity.
So please, Sowore — stop comparing MKO Abiola to Nnamdi Kanu.
There is absolutely no basis for such a comparison.
You only appear unserious pushing that narrative.
Your followers can drag me all they want — but I’ll stand by this truth.
Nigeria needs serious opposition leaders — not perpetual protesters or emotional agitators. Many of us genuinely hoped you’d evolve into a statesman capable of offering credible alternatives to the current leadership. You’ve had some great ideas — like your pursuit of looters abroad — but this Nnamdi Kanu crusade shows you’re still stuck in activist mode, not nation-building mode.
Someone who respects you needs to tell you the truth: it’s time to grow beyond base activism. Nigerian youths need you to rise beyond endless Aluta rhetoric.
As Apostle Paul wrote in Corinthians:
“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
It’s time to grow up, Sowore.
Move beyond activism and become the kind of statesman Nigerian youths can truly rally behind. The political space Peter Obi occupies today among young Nigerians could have been yours — by default. But they moved on because they don’t see statesmanship in your current approach.
So, tidy up. Prepare a credible, policy-driven campaign for 2027 — one that genuinely addresses the struggles of ordinary Nigerians.
Focus on issues that unite the nation you claim to want to lead — and let Nnamdi Kanu face justice for his actions, as every violent dissident must.
✍🏾 Ope Banwo
Founder, Naija Lives Matter
Mayor of Fadeyi