Lagos, Nigeria — Human rights activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, has raised concerns over the intense pressure being mounted on Ushie Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, to apologize for her recent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Sowore, who accompanied Uguamaye to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s (LGI) office in Lagos, alongside a legal team, revealed that high-ranking government officials, including ministers, have been urging her to retract her statements.
Speaking on Arise TV on Monday night, Sowore insisted that Uguamaye had committed no offense by expressing her views on the economic challenges facing Nigerians.
Uguamaye had shared a now-viral **TikTok video** on Saturday, condemning the government over the rising **cost of living** and **inflation**. She described Tinubu as a “terrible leader” and demanded answers on what steps were being taken to address the nation’s economic hardships.
“I went to the market to buy foodstuff, and prices have increased again! Every week, costs keep rising. What is the government doing about this? Maybe if more Nigerians speak up, things will change,” she lamented.
Following the viral video, Uguamaye claimed she began receiving threats and later shared a summons from the NYSC, instructing her to appear at the Eti-Osa 3 LGI office on Monday at 10:00 a.m.
On Monday, Sowore confirmed via social media that he had met with Uguamaye in Lagos and was accompanying her to the NYSC office alongside lawyers.
“We arrived at the NYSC Eti-Osa LGI office today with Uguamaye and her legal team, including attorneys Festus Ogun, Adeyinka Oyesomi, and Ojienoh Justice. However, NYSC officials failed to show up, despite the official summons. We will be back!” Sowore stated.
Meanwhile, journalist and activist Agba Jalingo called for public support and empathy for Uguamaye, rather than condemnation.
Jalingo highlighted Uguamaye’s personal tragedy, revealing that her father, Raphael Ushie, a senior officer in the Nigeria Immigration Service, had died in 2019 after protesting the destruction of his palm plantation for the Obudu International Airport project.
“Her father had invested his life savings into the farm. When the bulldozers arrived to demolish it, he joined a protest to stop them. Shortly after, he collapsed and later passed away at the hospital. The family received no compensation, and her mother struggled to fund her education,” Jalingo explained.
He further questioned the backlash against Uguamaye, stating:
“This young woman lost her father due to failed government policies. Now, she simply voices frustrations that millions of Nigerians share, and people are calling for her punishment? Where is the freedom of expression in this country?”
Amid growing tensions, Temitope Ajayi, a Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, has called for Uguamaye’s immediate expulsion from the NYSC.
Ajayi, in a statement, emphasized the need to uphold discipline and respect for national values, arguing that any violation of NYSC regulations should attract the appropriate disciplinary actions.
“The NYSC is a national institution that symbolizes unity. Any act of indiscipline should be met with the full weight of NYSC sanctions, including expulsion, as outlined in its regulations,” Ajayi stated.
As the controversy unfolds, Uguamaye’s case has sparked nationwide debates on the limits of free speech, youth participation in governance, and the pressures faced by critics of the administration.
By Enoch Odesola | March 18, 2025
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