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| Opeyemi Sowore hasn’t been able to speak to her husband since August, when she says he was arrested in Nigeria during the middle of the night while he slept. |
Omoyele Sowore, an activist who lives in Bergen County,
was arrested in Nigeria while organizing a protest against the country's
president.
Omoyele Sowore, 48, left his hometown of Haworth in the
summer to visit his native country of Nigeria on business for a pro-democracy
news organization he founded, Sahara Reporters. The news organization reports on Nigeria
from New York City.
He was arrested in Nigeria just days before a protest he
planned against Nigeria’s president was set to happen.
Related news
Omoyele Sowore: Anger over detention of Nigerian journalist
“I’m taking it one day at a time,” his wife told NJ
Advance Media. “It’s hard for my kids. They’ve been without their dad for
90-plus days.”
She has become increasingly worried about Omoyele
Sowore’s situation, especially since his lawyer says he posted bail and has yet
to be released by the Nigerian State Security Service. He was set to stand
trial on charges including treason and cyberstalking for allegedly sharing
false information about Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari this week, his lawyer
said.
But his trial was delayed until December, leaving his
wife and two young children, ages 10 and 12, back in Bergen County waiting to
learn of his fate.
“Since the State Security Service is not above the law of
the land, we shall embark on appropriate legal measures to ensure compliance
with the court orders,” said his lawyer, Femi Falana.
Congressman Josh Gottheimer, who represents the area
where the Sowore family lives, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker are taking notice of
the activist’s situation, too. Both have said they are in contact with the U.S.
Department of State.
"As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
Senator Booker has consistently advocated for press freedoms as fundamental to
any democracy around the globe,” said Ryan Johnson, a spokesman for the
senator. “He urges our close ally to provide Mr. Sowore with due process as a
journalist under Nigerian law."
The Nigerian native is a green card holder. He and his
wife, who was born in the United States, have been married for 15 years. He
teaches African studies at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and is
often asked to speak about issues in Nigeria.
Omoyele Sowore ran for president against Buhari last
year, but was unsuccessful. Buhari had a
stint as a military ruler of the country in the 1980s.
Opeyemi Sowore said her husband has always been outspoken
about corruption, the economy, infrastructure and education in Nigeria.
“He’s always used his voice to speak up for injustice and
to speak the truth,” she said. “It was one of the very first things I learned
about him.”
She’s reached out to the U.S. Department of State, but
hasn’t heard back. A spokeswoman for the agency about two weeks ago referred NJ
Advance Media to the Nigerian government when asked if it was working to bring
the Bergen County man home.
His small town has been rallying behind him as well.
Residents there demonstrated near Haworth’s borough hall about two weeks ago to
bring attention to his detainment.
Opeyemi Sowore said she’s been finding strength during
the ordeal due to support from her community.
“It really gives me hope and the strength to just keep
putting one foot in front of the other.”
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