With the movement against rapists, some female Nigerian celebrities have, over the years, boldly come out to share their stories as rape victims as a reminder that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
Here are some Nigerian female celebrities who have experienced rape.
1. Foluke Daramola
Actress Foluke Daramola is one celebrity who has been vocal about her experience with rape. The actress lost her virginity when a tenant raped her at the age of 17. This made her frigid in her first marriage, ultimately leading to its breakdown. She is the founder of the Passion Against Rape and Abuse in Africa (PARAA), an initiative that helps rape victims and survivors.
2. Busola Dakolo
Busola’s rape incident against COZA Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo was a very popular story that shook the internet in June 2019, especially because the alleged rapist was a high-profile man of God.
Busola decided to share her story with the world, having finally had the courage to speak up about being raped when she was only 16.
Her story was such that she got a lot of attention. The movement led many women to become vocal and ready to share their stories.
3. Elvina Ibru
Popular Nollywood actress Elvina Ibru, who is known for her role in Bling Lagosian, also spoke up around November 2019 about being raped.
She narrated that she was raped by an armed robber in her home in 2004, explaining how there was nothing she could have done to prevent that incident.
In light of this, she decided to be an advocate and set up a group meant to help manage the young and old ones who had been through the same ugly incident.
4. Taiwo Ajai-Lycett
Veteran actress Taiwo Ajai-Lycett also shared her ugly experience of how she was robbed and raped at her home in 2006. She was 65 years old.
She admitted knowing the perpetrators of the act but decided not to pursue the case.
Lycett also said that one of the perpetrators came to prostrate and ask for her forgiveness, but she explained that she had moved on and told him to seek God’s forgiveness.
5. Padita Agu
The Nollywood actress revealed that she was raped at age 15 when armed robbers invaded her parents’ home. She says the experience affected her sex life as a married woman, which led to the collapse of the three-year-old marriage.
6. TY Bello
Prominent Nigerian photographer and singer TY Bello was also a rape victim at the young age of seven.
She explained how much courage it took to share that story with Kemi Adetiba on her King Woman series.
For most of her life, the 48-year-old felt it was her fault; she, however, felt so much better and at peace after building a relationship with God.
7. Ifu Ennada
Ex-BBnaija 2018 star Ifu Ennada was raped as a virgin in 2016 by someone in the entertainment industry and was also infected with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the process. This experience made her depressed and also inspired her short film “Tears of a Broken Virgin.“
8. BamBam
Bamike, popularly known as Bambam, has been a victim of rape several times. She revealed that she was raped by her ex-boyfriend, a spiritual leader, and also her nanny as a child.
9. Late Ajai Tokunbo
The late Tokunbo Ajai was a broadcaster for the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) before her tragic death in 2000.
She was robbed and gang-raped but reported only the robbery. The robbers, however, confessed to the rape, leading to her committing suicide.
The 37-year-old died in London, where she had traveled for vacation, on August 18.
10. Khafi
Khafi Kareem, ex-2019 BBNaija star, following the Uwadia Omozuwa’s rape case, has opened up on being a rape victim.
The reality star had taken to Twitter to share her ordeal at the hands of a rapist. She explained that the rapist had apologized and begged her not to tell anyone.
“#WhyIDidntReport—because he apologised right after. Because I made myself believe him being drunk was an excuse. Because the one person I did tell said I caused it. Because I felt dirty and ashamed. #WeAreTired,” she tweeted.