A Year Behind Bars: The Silencing of IJELE Speaks and the Erosion of Justice in Nigeria (Re: Pastor Ebuka Obi)

 

It has been one full year since the arrest and continued detention of IJELE Speaks — a social commentator and vocal critic of religious figures and political malpractice in Nigeria. What began as an exercise of free speech has now spiraled into a deeply troubling case that epitomizes the state of human rights, justice, and democratic decay in the country.

The man known to many as IJELE had the audacity to publicly question the actions of Evangelist Ebuka Obi, a popular and influential religious figure. In a society where personality cults often tower above law and reason, that act of dissent came at a heavy cost. Following IJELE’s criticism, Obi allegedly made public statements promising to hunt down and punish anyone who dared to challenge his authority. In a chilling affirmation of those words, IJELE was arrested shortly after — and he has not seen freedom since.

There have been no formal charges. No trial. No opportunity for legal defense. Just a deafening silence.

For 365 days, IJELE has languished in detention, becoming the face of a deeper, systemic collapse of justice in Nigeria. His case is not an isolated one — rather, it is a reflection of a broader tragedy that has overtaken a once-promising nation. Across Nigeria, men and women are being incarcerated without due process, victims of a corrupt and compromised system where justice is no longer blind, but rather bought and sold to the highest bidder.

Once hailed as the largest democracy in Africa, Nigeria now teeters on the edge of democratic failure. Its judiciary, formerly a last hope for the oppressed, has become a playground for the powerful. Judges are reportedly swayed by bribes, police officers have turned into enforcers for hire, and the rule of law has been reduced to a theatrical performance — visible only when it serves the interests of the elite.

In IJELE’s case, the silence of institutions has been particularly damning. Human rights organizations, civil rights lawyers, and even the media — all have seemingly turned a blind eye. The very individuals who once championed the cause of justice now appear more interested in government contracts and political favor than the cries of the unjustly imprisoned.

"This is not the Nigeria our heroes fought for," lamented Prince Okey Emezu, a vocal supporter of IJELE’s cause. “This is a Nigeria where truth is punished, where the innocent are sacrificed to feed the egos of the powerful, and where silence has become a survival strategy.”

His words echo a growing sentiment among Nigerians who feel betrayed by their leaders and abandoned by the very institutions meant to protect them. The Nigeria of today is a far cry from the hopeful nation that once inspired a continent. What remains is a shell — a nation where the line between tyranny and governance is blurred, and where the powerful wield religion, politics, and fear as weapons of control.

There is a painful irony in IJELE’s fate. In seeking to expose injustice, he became its victim. His continued detention without trial is not just a personal tragedy; it is a warning. A warning that the mechanisms of democracy — when left to rot — will inevitably be used to crush those who dare to speak.

And yet, the story of IJELE Speaks is also a call to action. A call to speak louder, fight harder, and resist longer. Because in a country where anyone can disappear for speaking the truth, silence is no longer neutrality — it is complicity.

Until justice is not only promised but practiced, until voices like IJELE’s are heard rather than hushed, the darkness will continue to spread. And the dream of a just, democratic Nigeria will remain just that — a dream.

*written by Prince Okey Emezu