‘Afrika’s Ideals Could Not Be Buried’ — Sowore Pays Emotional Tribute to OAU Student Leader Killed 27 Years Ago

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has paid tribute to George Iwilade, popularly known as “Afrika,” describing the late Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) student leader as a symbol of courage whose legacy continues to inspire generations of Nigerian students.

In a message marking the 27th anniversary of Afrika’s death, Sowore reflected on their shared commitment to the student movement and the fight against injustice.

According to him, July 10, 2026, marked 27 years since the 300-level Law student and Secretary-General of the OAU Students’ Union Government was killed during a violent attack on the university campus in 1999.

Sowore described Afrika as “vibrant, brilliant and courageous,” saying his death transformed him from a student activist into a lasting symbol of resistance within Nigeria’s student movement.

Sharing a photograph taken before Afrika’s death, Sowore recalled participating in a solidarity protest in Yaba, Lagos, alongside the late student leader and then OAU Students’ Union President, Lanre Adeleke, popularly known as “Legacy.”

The protest, he said, was organised to oppose what he described as the persecution of OAU students at the time.

“We stood together under a massive police cordon, refusing to be intimidated,” Sowore said, adding that the demonstration reflected the determination of student activists to defend justice despite the risks involved.

He noted that although he left Nigeria in February 1999, months before the attack that claimed Afrika’s life, they had worked together on several student struggles.

Reflecting on the anniversary, Sowore said Afrika’s ideals outlived his death.

“His life was cut short, but his ideals could not be buried. Twenty-seven years later, we still remember him not merely for how he died, but for how he lived: fearless, principled, and unwavering in pursuing justice,” he wrote.

George Iwilade remains one of the most remembered figures in the history of Nigerian student activism. Every year, students, alumni and civil society groups commemorate the anniversary of his death and that of four other students killed during the 1999 campus attack, often referred to as the “OAU Five.”

The anniversary continues to serve as a reminder of the campaign against cult-related violence in Nigerian universities and the sacrifices made by student leaders who challenged it.