Nigeria Obi Questions Occupy Nigeria Protest Legacy, Sowore Pushes Back - Who Really Spoke for the People?

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?