ABUJA — The long-running feud between human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has taken a deeply personal turn, with Sowore invoking decades-old rumours about the Minister’s childhood to dismiss “divine curses” reportedly aimed at his critics.
In a blistering post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Sowore questioned the efficacy of spiritual warfare in Nigerian politics, suggesting that if curses were effective, Wike would have “evaporated” long ago due to his alleged history of financial impropriety, which Sowore claims dates back to his father’s church.
The ‘Church Offering’ Allegation
The verbal assault was triggered by a viral video of a pro-Wike cleric who issued a public curse against Sowore and other critics of the Minister, seeking divine punishment for those “attacking a good leader.”
Firing back with characteristic sarcasm, the Sahara Reporters publisher wrote: “If curses actually worked, the likes of Nyesom Wike would have evaporated from the surface of the earth long ago, especially since, by some accounts, he has been stealing from his father’s church offerings since childhood.”
The allegation refers to a long-standing urban legend in Rivers State and online circles, claiming that Wike’s father, an Anglican priest, faced ecclesiastical disciplinary issues because a young Nyesom allegedly diverted church collections. While Wike has consistently dismissed such stories as baseless fabrications, Sowore used the “rumour” to argue that the Minister appears immune to both legal and spiritual consequences.
Beyond Childhood: The Florida Property Scandal
The “offering” jab is the latest in a series of serious corruption allegations Sowore has leveled against the FCT Minister.
- Asset Petition: In 2025, Sowore formally petitioned authorities in Florida, USA, seeking a probe into multimillion-dollar properties allegedly linked to Wike’s wife and children.
- Laundering Claims: He has accused the former Governor of “laundering public funds” into international real estate—claims Wike has branded as “the lies of a professional troublemaker” while threatening legal action.
A Fractured ‘Renewed Hope’ Alliance?
The spat comes at a delicate time for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). While Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he is a pivotal figure in President Tinubu’s cabinet.
However, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, recently washed the party’s hands of Wike’s “supremacy war” with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, declaring that “Wike is PDP.” This perceived lack of party protection has left Wike increasingly reliant on his personal media machinery and loyalist clerics to counter activists like Sowore.
Public Reaction
The exchange has polarized social media. While some view Sowore’s comments as “hitting below the belt,” others point to the ₦700bn Rivers IGR surplus as the real reason why “godfathers” are desperate for divine or political intervention.
As Nigerians grapple with staggering debt and soaring food prices, the Sowore-Wike saga serves as a vivid illustration of the deepening divide between the “untouchable” political class and the unrelenting voices of dissent.
