Omoyele Sowore, the marathon man, by Simbo Olorunfemi

For Omoyele Sowore, it has been a long, long race, an unending marathon of sprints and marathon of struggles, a life-long commitment to Activism.

Since he set his foot on the track about 30 years ago, it has been a marathon for Omoyele.

Looks like he might have, early on, taken the Mandela vow to make the struggle the centrepiece of his life, as literally, the struggle has been his life over the last 3 decades, if not beyond that.

He was thrust into the nation’s consciousness in 1993 on the back of the June 12 election validation struggle, even though some of his activities as the President of the University of Lagos Students Union had already made him a person of interest.

But it was in his leading UNILAG students in the titanic battle against the annulment of that election and the pushback against the forces who mounted a roadblock against the actualisation of the June 12 mandate that he wrote himself into history.

He will play a steep price for his part in that struggle with the extra years in the university, only graduating in 1995 from UNILAG with a degree in Geography, having gained entry in 1989. At least one of those sessions was lost to the closure of the school on account of protest by students within that period. If I recall correctly, the 93/94 session was wiped off.

Sowore would later go on exile to the US, where he took a Masters degree from Columbia University.

I don’t know at what point exactly he opted for journalism or what prompted it. But he soon began to make a mark with an online publication. But it was his exclusive earth-shattering interview with Gbenga Obasanjo (son of the President at the time) published by either Tempo or The News that laid the mark on the audacious reporting that would eventually be the hallmark of Sahara Reporters, which he set up in 2006. That Sahara Reporters redefined the industry with its groundbreaking scoops was without a doubt

Few, if any, will dispute the fact that with Sahara Reporters, Sowore brought Citizen Journalism to the front row, forcing the traditional establishment to take note and sit tight, mainstream with the work he did with Sahara Reporters.

SR might not be the dominant force it once was but there is no denying its place in the history of activist-journalism. Not sure what role he plays there, but I remember him telling me, years back, that he had long stepped away from a direct superintendence of Sahara Reporters. Except he has made a return, that I think is still the case.

That perhaps explains how he has been able to make time for other lines of the struggle in more recent years.

He founded the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2018 and ran as Presidential candidate on the platform of the party in the 2019 and 2023 Elections. Only last Saturday the party had its National Convention, possibly preparatory to another run for office in 2027 on the platform of the party in which he is also the Chairman.

Since 2017, Yele Sowore has been in and out of court and detention too many times than anyone can recall. He has led or been a part of different protests.

Since the end of the 2023 elections, this has become even more pronounced. How he is able to keep track of the different charges in course to be able to make regular appearances is beyond me.

When he is not in court for any of his matters, he is there for other people’s matters. He was a constant presence at the Kanu treason trial. I started out writing this as that trial was rolling to a close and as Sowore began the move to mobilise political leaders to campaign for the release of Kanu.

Watching him take a ‘statemanly’ role on that matter, reaching out to President Jonathan and other political leaders he had been in disagreement with, showed another side of Sowore that inspired me to write.

Before I could get back to finish, I saw him move to take on other ’causes’. Coming out of the prison in Abuja, he announced his intention to proceed from there to Lagos to lead another protest in Oworonsoki. Before we knew it, there was the talk of him having been declared wanted, and he teasing the Lagos Police Commissioner. Before then, he had launched a battle against the IGP, who he maintains has served out his term and ought to have vacated office.

Sowore was soon back on the tracks in Oyo and then Ekiti. I got back to writing, inspired by the creative use he has put his participation in marathon races across different states in the country, mimicking his marathon commitment to struggle and civil rights advocacy.

Sowore was soon back in Abuja. A visit to Kuje prison to see someone in detention over blasphemy charges. Court appearances. Visits to Police Stations for one thing or the other. Keeping track is itself an undending marathon.

But that is the story of the man. Someone says, it’s one week, one trouble. I think there is some deeper essence to his marathon of struggles. Even the insistence on running for the office of the President is his own way of protest, I think.

I wonder what the electorate would be saying to him with their votes come 2023, but there is no doubt that his standing with Nnamdi Kanu during the period of his trial might win some measure of sympathy from those sympathetic to Kanu.

I like the strategic use to which he has put the use of the marathon..His marathon runs should, at least, win some votes for him among running enthusiasts. Good to see he is taking the marathon to his Kiribon homestead.

His statesmanly position on the threat by President Trump is a testament to his strong grasp of issues in comparison with some more popular former Presidential candidates out there. On that matter, I think he has acquainted himself well, and that might also count for him.

He has some interesting policy positions that I agree with, and believe that if people will deeply reflect upon might find agreeable.

Over and above all, it has been interesting following Sowore’s trajectory from a Students Union Activist, Citizen Journalist, Civil Rights Activist, Politician and everything else.

He has been criticised for his often provocative approach in protest, dispensing with civility in addressing those he is in disagreement with. But few will fault his stamina, industry and commitment.

He has been in the race since the late 90s and there is no evidence of him slowing down. I got back to writing this yesterday before I got to know he was due in court again for a fresh set of charges.

Sowore is obviously a long-distance runner you don’t want to end up on his other side. He is untiring and relentless. Who knows he might, going forward, embrace a more pragmatic approach that might create room for collaboration with others in the future, that being the only path to success in the political space.

That might need a marathon wait for it to come true. Sowore is obviously one not afraid to stand all alone. He is fearless and his stamina is second to none. But who knows what tomorrow might yet hold for the Marathon man?