Opinion: I Think Omoyele Sowore Got This One Wrong

I don't agree with everything he does, but I have always believed his activism has its place. There are times when his voice is necessary to hold those in power accountable. On this issue, however, I believe he made a serious error in judgment.

I have no issue with Tyler as an individual. In fact, she is a great artist. My concern is about empathy and context.

The xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa left real scars. Nigerians were killed, businesses were destroyed, and many lost everything they had worked for. I still remember the heartbreaking scenes of Nigerians returning home on Air Peace evacuation flights with little or nothing to come back to. Some had nowhere to stay until Apostle Chibuzor of OPM opened the church's guest quarters to accommodate and support them.

We also cannot forget the disturbing videos showing Nigerians being attacked. One man was even murdered inside a South African police station.

Incidents like these deepened the anger and sense of injustice many Nigerians still feel.

That is why I disagree with Omoyele Sowore's position that Nigerians should simply hold their own leaders responsible.

Nigeria did not instigate those attacks.

While our government has a duty to protect its citizens through diplomacy, the attacks happened in South Africa, where the responsibility for preventing the crimes and ensuring justice rests first with the South African authorities.

To make matters worse, the official response from the South African authorities lacked the urgency and empathy the situation demanded. Even diplomatic relations reflected the strain, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declining to receive the South African Special Envoy sent for a meeting. That alone showed how serious the situation had become.

This is why I believe Sowore misread the mood of the country or perhaps he simply did not care.

Before asking Nigerians to separate an individual artist from the painful history of xenophobic attacks, Sowore should first acknowledge the pain that chapter left behind.

For someone seeking the presidency, this was more than a comment about entertainment. It can be seen as a test of political judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to connect with the feelings of ordinary Nigerians.