Human rights activist and leader of the Take It Back Movement, Omoyele Sowore, has reacted to the controversial apology video released by TracyNither Nicolas Ohiri to Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, stating that the movement’s intervention in the dispute was solely to defend a vulnerable citizen against a powerful public official.
In a statement shared on his social media platforms on Thursday morning after the apology video surfaced online, Sowore explained that the movement supported Ohiri not because she appeared strong enough to confront a powerful political figure, but because she seemed vulnerable in the situation, “We didn’t fight for her because we believed she was strong; we fought for her because we knew she was vulnerable and lacked the privilege needed to withstand her adversary, a powerful Nigerian minister,” Sowore wrote.
The activist also raised questions about reports suggesting that money might have been used to settle the dispute, calling on Umahi to clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged arrangement, “Perhaps Engineer David Umahi should explain where the ₦100 million reportedly set aside to settle the matter came from, along with the video he strongly demanded be made to exonerate him from the most serious allegations and the agreement to withdraw the criminal charges,” he added.
Sowore maintained that the role of activists and civil rights movements is to challenge injustice and defend vulnerable citizens against powerful actors, “Our duty is fulfilled the moment we stand up for the weak against the powerful,” he said.
Background to the controversy
The dispute began after Ohiri posted a viral video on social media accusing Umahi of owing her money for campaign-related services reportedly rendered during his 2014 governorship campaign in Ebonyi State. She also made allegations of misconduct against the minister, claims that quickly sparked widespread public debate.
Umahi, however, denied the allegations, describing them as false and politically motivated. The minister insisted that he never owed Ohiri the money she claimed and rejected the accusations against him.
The situation later escalated as Ohiri was arrested by the Nigeria police in Lagos on allegations of cyberbullying and subsequently transported to Abuja, where she was detained by the police for many days and later arraigned before a magistrate court in the Federal Capital Territory.
Omoyele Sowore and the Take It Back Movement subsequently rallied around her case, arguing that a citizen should not be intimidated or criminalised for making allegations against a powerful public official.
The controversy took a new turn when Ohiri deleted the videos containing the allegations from her social media accounts and later released a video apologising to Umahi.
Her apology has since sparked mixed reactions online, with Sowore reiterating that the involvement of the Take It Back Movement was driven solely by the principle of defending vulnerable individuals against abuse of power.
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