Human rights activist and presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Omoyele Sowore alongside his legal team, have thrown their support behind Ushie Rita Uguamaye, also known as Raye, the National Youth Service Corps member facing backlash over her viral video criticising President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
A message from the NYSC Local Government Inspector (LGI), seen on Sunday, reportedly instructed Rita to report to the Eti Osa 3 local government office by 10 a.m. on Monday without fail.
The summons came after Rita posted a video on TikTok under the handle @talktoraye, where she tearfully expressed frustration over the rising cost of goods and services in Nigeria. Her emotional post quickly gained attention, prompting a response from the NYSC board.
She described Tinubu as a “terrible” President and accused the government of neglecting the economic hardship faced by citizens.
“If a lot of Nigerians come out and start speaking about what we are going through, maybe changes will be made in the government,” she said in the TikTok video.
“I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president.”
She said, “So, I am coming from a supermarket where I went to get foodstuff, and everything has gone up again. It’s just like every single week, prices keep increasing. I want to know, what is the government doing about this increase? Is there going to be a particular time when prices will stop going up?
“Why am I going to get a crate of eggs and I’m told it costs N6,500? It doesn’t make any sense that eggs would cost that much. I literally remember when eggs cost N800. I am so overwhelmed because this is the first time I’ve stayed out of my family house.
“After I left the supermarket, I got home, and the security and NEPA bills have skyrocketed, doubling in price. It is insane. I can’t keep up with these bills. Every single penny I make, I am using it to pay bills.
“The crazy thing is, you want to go out with your friend, and Uber is N25,000. Why are things so expensive?
“To make it worse, Lagos stinks. Everywhere smells. What is the government doing about the smell? Being an NYSC corper, there is nothing so beneficial about this scheme.
“The money I spend on transportation is much more than the allowance the federal government pays us. We should start calling out the government. For example, Tinubu, you are a terrible person. What are you doing to help our economy?”
Less than 24 hours after posting the video, the corps member revealed that she has been receiving multiple calls from NYSC officials, urging her to stop criticising the government and delete the video. After that, Raye also revealed that other corp members had told her that board members were allegedly out to find her.
Considering the multiple threats she had been receiving, Sowore, accompanied by his legal team, met with Raye in Lagos to provide support and escort her to the LGI’s office.
Sowore, in a video shared on X on Monday, revealed that he had met with Uguamaye in Lagos and would be accompanying her to the NYSC Local Government Inspector’s office alongside a team of attorneys.
“The journey with youth Corper, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, has commenced in Lagos.
“She is scheduled to appear before the LGI (Local Government Inspector) today and we will escort her to their offices. We are all en route with attorneys,” Sowore captioned the video.
“The journey with youth corper, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, has commenced in Lagos. She is scheduled to appear before the LGI today, and we will escort her to their offices. We are all en route with attorneys. @mrfestusogun @yinka_oyesomi and @justiceojienoh,” he captioned the post.
In a related development, former presidential candidate Peter Obi has also expressed his support for Raye. Obi commended her courage in voicing her concerns and criticized any attempts to intimidate citizens for expressing their views. He emphasized that such actions are contrary to democratic principles and called on the government to engage constructively with critics.
Obi stated, , “This pattern is not isolated. I, too, have been subjected to threats for daring to offer constructive suggestions and comments.” He urged Nigerians to stand firm and continue advocating for a nation where freedom of speech is upheld and leaders are accountable to the people.
By Ezinne Okorie.
