Scoop
The Tech and Entertainment Industries are Experiencing a Resurgence of the #MeToo Movement
Back in 2019, starting with Busola Dakolo, several women named the names of men who had allegedly raped or harassed them sexually. But the reckoning we hoped for never quite came, and, mostly, this accused walked free.
Busola Dakolo recently shared that “awareness is victory,” but there’s a more important victory to be pushed for: justice.
Now the movement is finding a resurgence. People are starting again, buoyed by the recent headlines (Uwa, Farishina), to speak out and name names.
And so many names have been called.
From the entertainment industry to tech, men with alleged predatory behaviour are being held accountable for their actions.
On Instagram we’ve seen Nollywood’s Victor Okpalan‘s message to an aspiring actress Oshevire Divine, where he is apparently soliciting for sex in exchange for roles.
“MTV Shuga” actress Sharon Jatto too shared screenshots and a video also implicating Victor Okpalan.
Peruzzi, too, has been accused of rape, with his tweets from 2010, 2011 and 2012 unearthed.
If the babe said the rape incident happened in 2012, Peruzzi's tweets at the time showed he didn't think rape was a big deal. pic.twitter.com/EthzbXrgzP
— OlúAfolábí (@oluafolabi) June 3, 2020
Uti Nwachukwu, Big Brother alum, has also been accused of rape by a Twitter user @KambiliKorie, who shared how they became friends, and how the alleged rape happened.
I said to myself, “NOW IS THE TIME”
I have lived in torment and self blame these past three years. It was five minutes for UTI NWACHUKWU but until justice is served,it’ll be a lifetime for me.I’ll be giving full details in this thread. #SayNoToRapist #whyididntreport— Kambili Korie (@KambiliKorie) June 3, 2020
What I didn’t know was that he was capable of sexual harassment and rape. The first time he saw me he told me I looked good and he had a soft spot for melanin skin girls. I blushed, and had to tell everyone that I got a complement from a “star”#JusticeForBarakat #SayNoToRapist
— Kambili Korie (@KambiliKorie) June 3, 2020
Uti asked if we can be friends, I agreed. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with a star? We hanged out a few times and I felt he was fun to be with. He even promised to connect me to a popular modeling agency. #yangy twitter ng #justicefordjevolve #IStandWithSomto
— Kambili Korie (@KambiliKorie) June 3, 2020
But I had my reservations. He tried convincing me to visit him, but I told him”I don’t want your girl to break my head”. The common female slang then. He then asked to come to my house. I was sharing an apartment with one of my female friends. Peruzzi Danny Walter #SayNoToRapist
— Kambili Korie (@KambiliKorie) June 3, 2020
He finally came around and everything went fine. We talked, we laughed and that was it. We got closer after that day. When I realized I was beginning to develop feelings for Uti, I had to give him a little space. Danny Walter Peruzzi Lucifer #TACHAshe #Nigerian #SayNoToRapist
— Kambili Korie (@KambiliKorie) June 3, 2020
He made advances at me. Told me I was the prettiest girl he knew and that he was obsessed with me. I told him we could talk this out. He fled up. In his words “I always get what I want”. And that was when he forced himself on me. Danny Walter Peruzzi Dbanj #SayNoToRapist
— Kambili Korie (@KambiliKorie) June 3, 2020
I’ve been broken since then. He made me see all men as beasts. Worse more, I couldn’t speak out because nobody will believe me anyway. I see him smile on tv shows like he is an angel. He is none other but @SirUTI Danny Walter Peruzzi Dbanj #TACHAshe
— Kambili Korie (@KambiliKorie) June 3, 2020
A screenshot of a text, allegedly from him, admitting to but refusing to apologise for rape has also surfaced, although it’s unclear if this particular allegation is linked to the screenshot.
Is it he same UTI that shaded our TACHA?? #BigTachaReunion #TACHAshe pic.twitter.com/ZjV00MwaxD
— iHype Tacha ??? (@Matilda93908696) June 3, 2020
Uti, on his Instagram, has denied the allegations, stating that the screenshot is a photoshopped one.
Allegations against the singer Brymo were made weeks ago, and just recently, he went on his Twitter to deny them, asking his accusers to “come out and put and name and face” to their allegations.
Actor and host Bollylomo has on several occasions been accused on Twitter, with old tweets of him trivialising rape also unearthed. Still, back in April, he released a statement denying all the allegations, and threatened legal action.
Good afternoon x pic.twitter.com/5OvRTKP1Gc
— Bollylomo®️ (@ItsBollyLomo) April 30, 2020
Comedian Ebiye was on Thursday also accused of rape by a lady who says she’s his ex-girlfriend, @hannahh_O.
In a Twitter thread, she shared how he allegedly abused and raped her while she lived with him.
He saw my friend tweet and he started messaging my finsta because he's blocked everywhere else. @ComedianEbiye I have been quiet for too long but I actually have your time today pic.twitter.com/Sf4JiDwe6a
— pretty face. (@hannahh_O) June 3, 2020
It sounded so embarrassingly stupid telling anyone that someone I was in a 'relationship' with constantly had his way with me and that leaving was not even the easiest/safest option for me at that time. No doesn't mean no for him, whenever he wanted it, he had to get it
— pretty face. (@hannahh_O) June 4, 2020
A certain time, he threw his phone on my face and it fell and broke into pieces. He took a picture of his shattered phone with my own phone and turned it into a motivational speech on his instagram, something about phones being distractions to success.
— pretty face. (@hannahh_O) June 4, 2020
friends and he wouldn't let my friends come to the house to see me. I was more of embarrassed to tell any of them so I kept lying because I was scared of what they'd say and I wanted to 'protect his career.' Different girls kept sending me messages telling me he was sending them
— pretty face. (@hannahh_O) June 4, 2020
he'd kill me and kill himself if I swear to leave him again. His housemate heard me screaming and begging to be left alone and he ran upstairs to see Ebiye literally dragging me on the floor close to the stairs, he flipped it on me and told him I was ungrateful and that I said
— pretty face. (@hannahh_O) June 4, 2020
When I managed to leave and blocked him. He started sending me emails. @ComedianEbiye How do you call physical and sexual abuse mistakes? And just yesterday when my friend called him out for harassment on twitter, he messaged my finsta to beg. pic.twitter.com/vehGMjRctr
— pretty face. (@hannahh_O) June 4, 2020
He kept unsending messages after begging me to tell my friend to delete her tweets. pic.twitter.com/TWIEXozZKP
— pretty face. (@hannahh_O) June 4, 2020
The comedian is yet to comment on the allegations.
Another Twitter user @seyitannn_ also accused Koko Master D’banj of rape.
In a series of tweets, she shared how she allegedly refused his offer to pay her for sex, but still woke up to find him in her room, after which he allegedly raped her.
This was allegedly after the All White Rendezvous Party in December 2018, she wrote.
I was invited for an all white party at Eko Atlantic(splash off)which was an all night party on the 30th of December 2018, by franklin Dbanj ex manager at that time and I went with my friend then named Laide.
— Aunty Seyitan (@seyitannn_) June 3, 2020
When I was leaving oyin and I exchanged number and she asked where I was lodged I told her Glee hotel in VI, and she said it was the same hotel she was lodged and I asked her if she could drop me off she said that wasn’t a problem.
— Aunty Seyitan (@seyitannn_) June 3, 2020
So I slept off within 5/6am and pls note (I’m a naked sleeper) and woke up and found Dbanj in my room already,and I asked him what he was doing in my room he didn’t say a word and *asked if I was a baby* and started fingering me,
— Aunty Seyitan (@seyitannn_) June 3, 2020
when he left and I got to see he came in with an extra key (card) and I later found out that Dbanj lodged all his staffs in the hotel..Then I called my supposed friend Oyin who I saw at the party if she planned with Dbanj she said No.
— Aunty Seyitan (@seyitannn_) June 3, 2020
And he gave my friend 100dollars to give me to take medication.
— Aunty Seyitan (@seyitannn_) June 3, 2020
Till today he hasn’t uttered even a word of apology.
— Aunty Seyitan (@seyitannn_) June 3, 2020
— Aunty Seyitan (@seyitannn_) June 4, 2020
In the tech industry, Tizeti boss Kendall Ananyi has also had allegations made against him.
Kelechi Udoagwu, a communications strategist, through her Twitter @anti_ratrace, shared how she was allegedly harassed by Kendall who was supposed to mentor her from a MEST Africa event.
Kendall was invited as a guest speaker, Kelechi shared, and their relationship, prior to then, had been a purely platonic one.
I just laughed sadly cos I remember one Naija #tech mentor who was supposed to be mentoring me when I was in MEST & this dude (married) pulled out and put his dick in my hands in the bright afternoon, begging me for anything I could do *sigh.
— Kelechi U (@anti_ratrace) June 2, 2020
Defused the situation calmly. Nothing happened. Was mad irritated. We have never spoken since then.
That evening, I went and told @Sir_Kobb and Jerry (what’s Jerry’s handle), my friends & protectors then.
They told me “everything go de alright” and we moved on from the topic.
— Kelechi U (@anti_ratrace) June 2, 2020
His name is Kendall Ananyi. Founder of https://t.co/rgZVPGLshR or Tizeti. https://t.co/M5dkVoiti5
— Kelechi U (@anti_ratrace) June 3, 2020
PiggyVest cofounder Odun Eweniyi also shared a screenshot from a former employee of Kendall who alleged that sexual harassment was “a lot” in the office.
Because of Kelechi, more women working in tech are sharing.
Women deserve to feel safe. No other explanations needed.
Anyway history will remember which side of this issue you stood on. pic.twitter.com/LMqnDvLCus
— Big Odun Energy (@OdunEweniyi) June 4, 2020
The folks at Tizeti have issued a statement, sharing that an investigation is being carried out into the allegations. They have “zero tolerance” for harassment, the statement read.
— Tizeti Network (@tizeti) June 4, 2020
There is something to be said about the fact that this conversation is being had on the mainstream. That’s a lot of progress from where we used to be. Even the Nigerian police, often reported as negligent, or in some cases adversarial, to rape cases, shared an image asking the populace to report sexual abuse cases to them.
But the walk is still far.
Like Busola Dakolo said, awareness is victory, but the main victory is justice. It’s important that we amplify the voices of the survivors, and not just hope, but actually work to help them find justice.
Let’s hold people accountable for their actions, encourage survivors to speak up, listen and hear when they do, and help them get justice.
You can also donate or reach out to these organisations: WARIF, STER, Human Development Initiatives. Whatever little you have will go a long way.
