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Peter Obi's comments on the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests have reignited debate over who benefits from public dissent. While Omoyele Sowore calls the remarks dismissive, others hear a deeper critique: Where are the voices that once led, now silent in power?

KEY POINTS
  • Obi's Observation Sparks Backlash: He questioned why today's fuel price hikes haven't drawn the same outrage seen in 2012.
  • Sowore Defends Protest Roots: The activist insists 2012 protests were valid, not politically hijacked, and rooted in real economic pain.
  • A Misstep—or Misunderstood Point? Some argue Obi's tone undermined a painful chapter, even if the question of selective outrage still stands.
Many Nigerians recall 2012 as a moment of unity against systemic injustice, but also one later tainted by careerism. "Some of the loudest voices then now sit in silence," said a former protester. "We carried banners, they carried on."

Can today's political class genuinely connect with protest legacies — or have those moments become another rung in Nigeria's ladder of power? Who still speaks for the people when the chants fade?