The AAC National Chairman Omoyele Sowore has tagged year 2023 as a year to redefine and complete the Nigeria’s Revolution. Omoyele Sowore who is a Nigerian human rights activist, pro-democracy campaigner, former presidential candidate, founder of an online news agency Sahara Reporters and the National Chairman African Action Congress (AAC).
Sowore who was arrested by the DSS on 3rd August 2019 ahead of a planned nationwide #RevolutionNow protest. He was arrested again and beaten during a protest in Abuja on January 1, 2021. Sowore was injured by a police officer during a protest in Abuja on May 31, 2021. He has planned to fight for self determination; “we must be ready for a major revolt. We have unfinished business of revolution to complete in 2022. We also have a world to win beyond Africa and the world at large in 2023. – Sowore said.
Below is the complement address delivered by the AAC National Chairman.
There is always that time that we do not have to move with the waves. A time not to swim with the tides nor dance with the currents. A time to make decisions that will determine the moments to come. Time decides how long a system will keep running. Time decides how long a slave will be a slave, it also decides when the oppressed will throw their chains into oblivion.
We have been on the side of history for the larger part of our political life. We have spoken when many have been shut. We have been standing when millions have been cowed to keep being down.
The system really want us to be so divided alongside ethnic, religious and such sentiments but we have shown that there is one unity that binds millions of citizens; our oppression. For the rulers are never dedicated to all of what divides us except exploiting the hell out of our suffering bones. The few rulers and their money mongers do not have any relation. They are united by their massive stealing from our common wealth whether Hausa; Igbo; Yoruba, or any minority groups. They do not mind whether the people get destroyed from Zamfara to Sokoto to Imo and Lagos. They only care for rogues in their class.
This is why Buhari does not care about even the Katsina people in the face of bandits’ invasions. Goodluck Jonathan too never resolved the Niger Delta crises, neither has Obasanjo had any positive effect on the Ogun people. The set of rogues who have been ruling Nigeria since 1960 are unrepentant fascists who only care for their pockets and their private properties!
2021 AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE IMPENDING REVOLUTION
Last year was such a refreshing one. It decided whether the wicked rulers would get away with their violent quelling of the #EndSARS protests. The movement also started with a no-holds barred #RevolutionNow Cross Over Vigil that landed us into detention for a week and a half here in Abuja. That vigil was done nationally and it kickstarted a year of exclusive bravery that was crystallized with strategic battles between the oppressed and the rulers. Comrades turned the whole year to one of revolutionary engagements and programs that kept the rulers on the defensive all through.
From the #OccupyLekkiTollGate to the #NorthIsBleeding mass actions; the oppressed people have shown that our unity matters more than all the divisive distractions. We have united from “Cross Over Night”; instead of “EndSARS” to yesterday to tell it to the faces of our oppressors that we can build a new Nigeria without the rulers who are actually the problems we have to do without.
Many say our protests do not work, some of them support rallies or boycott but we keep saying that all the strategies of the oppressed are very important. We must keep saying NO to all malpolicies of those rotten Nigerian rulers till we win finally.
2023 ELECTIONS AND THE MANY WAYS TO A NEW NIGERIA
Our comrades were almost torn amongst many of the political alternatives that presented themselves out of the realities in the trajectories of our struggles. Many in the light of the Biafran and Yoruba Nation struggles agreed with the fact that what is needed is the battle for referendum. Some others believe that we need only an Electoral Intervention while most of us still believe that in all of these junctures; if methods and agitations do not quicken the revolution from below, we all would stand defeated. To fight for self determination; we must be ready for a major revolt. This is why the Biafran struggles had more political impacts during and after the #EndSars protest than before. The Yoruba Nation birthed a renewed improvement just after the #EndSars protests. But in all the persecutions and trails of the Self Determination struggles and the leaders like Sunday Igboho and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu; the rulers fear the #EndSARS movement more. This was why they were shocked when the #NorthIsBleeding protests broke out. Yet, dem never see anything. Youths in the North have reason, and all that is needed is more cementing so that comrades all over the North can synchronize more and fight.
THE ESSENCE OF SOLIDARITY AND CLARITY
Some of us have spent the last three decades of our lives fighting for a new prosperous and democratic Nigeria. One major lesson is that the oppressed people are really angry but they do not have the solidarity and clarity to unite and go to battle together. For the past two decades; the person people have twice showed from January Uprising Against Fuel Subsidy Removal in 2012 to the #EndSARS Mass Revolts in October 2020; it has been reinforced over and over that what unites us is more germane and sacrosanct than what divides us.
Our solidarity unconditionally with IPOB; Yoruba Nation Agitators, and the Shiites has been so fulfilling as it has hurt and destabilized the rulers more than ever. We have also further exposed to the world that there is no genuine person, interest, or group is safe under this tyranny. We must standing with all oppressed people as our unity furthers divides and bastardize our oppressors.
There is an incoming issue of Fuel Price Hike and many are already preparing to resist. We must all start preparing as revolutionaries so we are not caught unawares. We must deepen our solidarity with the working class so we can have the capacity and audacity to take on the Labour burueacracy as at when it’s needed. We must stand with ASUU and such other patriotic unions that want a better Nigeria and demand for better welfare for all. Our rulers are never interested in whatever would make social welfare to be in the reach of all, and not a few privileged. We must never allow any further increments in fuel price, no matter the excuses!
OUR PARTY AND THE NEED TO RADICALLY ENGAGE THE ELECTIONS 2023
We have maintained that we must engage all spaces to truly change Nigeria. The elections present a time to fight. But it is a process full of illusions. The battles over direct and indirect primaries is a rubbish argument that is premised on how the rulers would rig from the parties. In the first place, the independence of the political parties is being trampled upon with the New Electoral Bill’s undue interventions in party primaries. This reminds us of how they are all working to make sure there is no party of the masses. The rulers are colluding with INEC to steal our party but we have been giving them a good run for their money both politically and legally.
We are calling on all oppressed to join the most consistent revolutionary party and movement which is the AAC and TIB. We need to all come together to start battling these spineless and rogue rulers so we can show that we are the real owners of Nigeria! I therefore call on many of our friends and comrades who are yet to be committed to the party to join and start building now. We need to start early as we do not have the resources and capacity the rulers have access to.
IN COMPLEMENTS, WE HAVE A WORLD TO WIN!
While millions of our people are happy and partying, let us all know that with the level of heavy borrowings by the Buhari government; they are bound to increase fuel price, and devalue the Naira. Things will be harder. But when we fight harder and more united, the rulers will be defeated.
I ask that we should all eyes opened while we celebrate. The country is already endangered but we have unfinished business of revolution to complete in 2022. We also have a world to win beyond Africa and the world at large. Like the late Bob Marley asserted in his classic track-“Zimbabwe;” arms in arms with arms, we will win!
