Veteran Nigerian singer, critic, Charly Boy has voiced his dissatisfaction regarding the protests led by women in support of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of sexual misconduct.
In a video shared online, Charly Boy criticized the demonstration, labeling it a regression for justice and women’s rights in Nigeria.
He wrote in part, “See Yeye 10k Women wey full house. It is disappointing that so many Nigerians choose to minimize and dismiss sexual misconduct whenever a woman exposes it. This culture, where women are expected to either conform or face punishment, is not only appalling but dangerous.”
He further stated, “The women who defend accused men are even more troubling because they too reinforce a system that silences victims and protects perpetrators from accountability.”
This protest follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, which she revealed during an interview on Arise Television. In response to her claims, Unoma Akpabio, the Senate President’s wife, initiated a lawsuit against her.
After the lawsuit was filed and subsequently dismissed, a significant discourse emerged, prompting many Nigerians to reflect on the influence of societal norms in cases of alleged sexual misconduct and the hesitance to hold powerful individuals accountable.