Sahara Reporters is a news agency based in New York City that focuses mainly on promoting citizen journalism by encouraging everyday people to report stories about corruption, human rights abuses and other political misconduct in Africa, with specific focus on Nigeria. Sahara Reporters specializes in exposing corruption and government malfeasance.
The Owner Of Sahara Reporters.
The owner and founder of Sahara Reporters is Omoyele Sowore. He is a Nigerian born into a polygamous family of sixteen (16) siblings. According to omoloye Sowore, he developed a soft spot for the media during the days of the military rule in Nigeria, he also said that the criticism of the ruling government during the military regime gave him a sense of direction as to what he wanted to do.
In 1999 he left Nigeria to the United States for a better treatment after a cultist attack but deep down his mind couldn’t just leave NIgeria and he knew that he would not stop serving his father’s land irrespective of the fact that he is no longer in Nigeria.
It was with this mindset of his that Sowore founded Sahara reporters in a small room in Manhattan. It was not until 2006 that Sahara Reporters became an international household name as the first news source to identify and publish the photo of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
Since then, it has published over 5,000 stories and has a massive followership within and without Nigeria.
Sahara Reporters is supported by grants donated by the Ford Foundation and the Omidyar Foundation. Contrary to what many might think, the name “Sahara” was given based on a passionate drive to kick up a storm in Nigeria, not based on a geographical location.
Omoloye Sowore the owner and founder of Sahara reporters attended the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he studied Geography and Plannings. He and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Colombia University. He teaches Modern African History at the City University of New York and Post Colonial African History at the School of Art, New York.
The Beginning of Sahara Reporters
Sowore’s fiery activism started in his 40s, he got national prominence between 1992-1994, when he led the Students Union Government of the University of Lagos. When his mates chose the glittering broad way of life, he combined his Geography lectures with a firm determination to put a stop to cultism in the university.
As is expected in every life situation, his adversaries could not bare his torture anymore and chose to put a stop to him. It is alleged that on a fateful day in 1994, some of these cultists came in their number to beat, torture, strip Unclad and inject him with lead.
Those who were intimidated by him threatened his life and this explains why Sahara Reporters would not publish the name or face of a witness or a source, it is so that they remain safe.
When he came to Lagos, Sowore was arrested after speaking to the youths at shoprite but was later released that night. He has since organized series of town hall meetings where ever his presidential campaign train went and has seeked support from prominent Nigerians like Wole Soyinka, Emir of Kano etc as he is determined to become Nigeria’s next president.
Omoloye Sowore became the talk of the town when He appears to be determined to unseat President Buhari. He has moved his campaign train in order to gather enough supporters.
Sowore was arrested by the DSS because of a planner protest he wanted to carry out all over the country. He was recently released but reports reaching us is that he was re-arrested again by the DSS, even after the court granted him bail.
Omoloye Sowore was arrested by officers of the State Security Service (SSS for calling for a protest against the Buhari-led Federal Government due to its perceived corrupt practices. The protest which he tagged as “Revolution Now” was viewed by the FG as a treasonable felony.
According to the prosecutor in charge of his case, he was charged with trying to overthrow the administration of President Muhammad Buhari and also on crimes related to money laundering and cyber-stalking.
The court granted Sowore bail, but he was held in detention by the Federal Government.
This was viewed by the public and international community as snubbing court ruling.
Again, despite a Federal High Court in Abuja granting Sowore bail, members of the DSS stormed the Court while he was on trail, halted proceedings. and bundled Sowore out.
It was pressure from the international community which saw Swore released by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. Malami ordered the State Security Service, SSS or Department of State Services, DSS to release him on bail.
Sahara Reporters website should currently be worth about $10 million. Sowore is also a happily married who is blessed with children.