Sowore Barred from University of Abuja Campus During Student Lecture

Former presidential candidate and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, was denied entry into the University of Abuja campus while attempting to address students at a lecture organised by the Students’ Union Government (SUG).

Sowore, invited by the SUG led by Yusuf Tobi Jamiu, said he was stopped by campus security despite holding a formal invitation.

Security officials halted his vehicle at the university gate, insisting that management had deemed his visit “unacceptable” and that the SUG lacked permission to host him.

In a statement titled “The University as a Joke: My University of Abuja Experience,” Sowore described sitting outside the gate in silent protest.

He said his advance team noticed irregularities upon arrival, including the absence of the SUG President and the deserted venue prepared for the event.

“When the Students’ Union Government invited me for an interactive session, I was skeptical. Upon arrival, my team noticed the Students’ Union President was missing, and the hall looked deserted. Soon after, I was informed the university authorities had cancelled the programme. Comrade Jamiu later confirmed the event would hold, so I proceeded to the gate, where I was stopped by security,” Sowore said.

He added that he sat on a broken chair at the gate, witnessing what he described as a reflection of the decay in Nigerian universities.

Sowore also recounted how a female student was initially denied entry for “improper dressing” until security reluctantly allowed her in after he intervened.

“Comrade Jamiu eventually arrived to apologise, looking helpless. I couldn’t help but wonder whether he was elected to lead or to appease authorities. After a brief conversation, I left saddened but not surprised,” Sowore said.

The activist criticised the state of university autonomy and student leadership, accusing authorities of stifling freedom of expression.

“What I saw at the University of Abuja was not an institution of learning, but a graveyard of courage and ideas. Nigerian universities are dying not for lack of resources, but for lack of integrity, independence, and freedom,” he said.

Sowore concluded, “Nigerian universities are dead. What remains is the struggle to resurrect them.”

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.

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