Omoyele Sowore is a Nigerian human rights activist, pro-democracy campaigner, journalist, and politician
. He is best known as the founder and publisher of the online news agency Sahara Reporters. Sowore has frequently been a controversial figure and has faced numerous arrests and legal charges due to his activism.
Personal life and education
- Birth and family: Omoyele Sowore was born on February 16, 1971, and hails from Ese-Odo, Ondo State, in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He was raised in a polygamous home with 16 children. He is married to Opeyemi Sowore, with whom he has children. The family resides in Haworth, New Jersey, in the United States.
- Education: Sowore attended the University of Lagos from 1989 to 1995, where he earned a degree in Geography and Planning. His university career was extended by two years due to his student activism, which included serving as the President of the Student Union Government between 1992 and 1994. He later obtained a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University in New York.
Activism and media career
- Early activism: Sowore’s activism began in his student days. In 1989, he led demonstrations against an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan to Nigeria that threatened to cut the number of universities. In 1992, he led thousands of students in a protest against the government, during which police opened fire, killing seven people.
- Sahara Reporters: In 2006, while in New York, Sowore founded Sahara Reporters, an online news platform focused on fighting corruption and holding the Nigerian government accountable. The platform operates without accepting funding from the Nigerian government.
- #RevolutionNow: In August 2019, Sowore initiated the nationwide #RevolutionNowprotest to demand good governance. This led to his arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) on alleged treason charges. After multiple court orders and his eventual release in December 2019, he was confined to Abuja for years before a travel ban was lifted in 2024.
Political career
- Presidential bids: Sowore announced his intention to run for president in 2018 and founded the African Action Congress (AAC) party.
- 2019 election: He ran as the AAC’s presidential candidate in the 2019 Nigerian general election.
- 2023 election: He ran again for president under the AAC banner in 2023.
- Recent activities (2024–2025):
- In March 2024, Sowore reunited with his family in the U.S. after a five-year travel ban was lifted.
- In September 2024, he was briefly detained at a Lagos airport by immigration officials but was later released.
- In October 2025, Sowore and others mobilized supporters for a #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja, advocating for the release of the separatist leader. The protest occurred despite a court order restraining demonstrations near certain government buildings.
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