P opular Nigerian actress and media personality Omotunde Adebowale-David, widely known as Lolo 1, has opened up about being raped by a male colleague in the broadcasting industry.
Lolo 1 shared the deeply personal revelation on her podcast “Say My Piece”, which premiered on YouTube on Friday. The actress recounted how the traumatic incident has continued to affect her, revealing that she still experiences panic attacks whenever she encounters the man responsible.
“I remember how many of those things I have to relive. I have been raped only once in my life, and I was raped by a colleague,” she said. “I see him every other day. Do you know how traumatized I am? When I see him, I just get into this momentary panic.”
She explained that naming her assailant now would likely attract backlash, especially given his current status in the industry.
“If a woman of my calibre named him—he’s an established person in the broadcast industry—won’t people say, ‘How come I didn’t speak about it for all these six years until now that he’s taking a prominent TV position?’” she asked.
Lolo 1 also highlighted the psychological complexities that survivors of sexual assault face, including denial and self-blame, which often prevent them from speaking out immediately.
“When sexual assault happens to women, the first thing to happen is denial. The next thing is self-blaming,” she noted.
The actress shared that she discussed her experience with her daughter for the first time recently, a conversation that brought her both pain and validation.
“When I discussed it with my daughter yesterday, she held my hand and said, ‘Mummy, you’ve gone through so much.’ And I said I had,” Lolo 1 recounted emotionally. “I hardly ever say this, and I am not even ready to tell the full story.”
Her disclosure adds to ongoing conversations about sexual violence and the societal pressures that silence survivors—especially within Nigeria’s entertainment and media landscape.
0 Comments