GentleLady Salawa Abeni and her Blackmailer: On Leaked Nudity and Nigerian Law
“Is nudity that sacred? I gave birth four times and I exposed my nakedness to the doctors and nurses at those times. There was nothing for me to be scared of”- Salawa Abeni
Salawa Abeni, a name popular with Nigeria’s older population especially those from the South West. She rose to fame as a musician singing the Waka genre of music. She is also married to a musician of reputable fame, Ayinla Kollington.
Her debut album was released in 1976, meaning she has spent more than 4 decades on stage. Salawa Abeni like other musicians of her era now has less airplay and the paparazzi have moved on to younger celebrities, one would not expect her to trend in recent times. Her song “gentle lady ni mi, mi o kin se tighter” remains a classic of Waka, her music genre.
However, this was not the case as Nigerian internet was shaken through and through by the revelation that someone was threatening to release the nude pictures of the revered musician, blackmailing her and requesting for money.
The revelation was made by the musician herself who then dared the blackmailer to do his worst before releasing the pictures herself thus, making mincemeat of the fraudster within public sphere. Salawa turned him in the gutter when she did this. Throwing away that leverage he held on her and which he used to threaten her along with him.
In modern times, the problem of leaked nudes has caused shame for several ladies to the extent of suicide and depression. In BABCOCK University, a lady was expelled by the authorities for a sexual act that did not occur within school premises simply because there was a leaked tape.
Camera is now a cheap device and anyone can have one around using it to blackmail people as no one wants their nakedness public especially in Africa. Except those who willingly subscribe to being in the public sphere for such
Salawa Abeni’s singular action has de-marketed the use of nudes to extract money from ladies who desire to protect themselves from the shame. Salawa spoke for several ladies who would be unable to gather the same guts. She has left an example for younger girls who in her situation would have given in to blackmail and more pressure. There are several in the same condition who pay fraudsters that come again when the money is finished to ask for more. Turning one or two pictures to a meal ticket and threatening to release it to the public at every turn.
In the wake of Salawa’s own disclosure and exposure of the blackmailer, the condemnation from the public and her fan base against the attempt to blackmail her, police attempt to arrest the person along other public pressure against blackmail would reduce those who intend to do such similarly as they would learn from her example.
The blackmailer, who has not been properly identified and would hopefully, be arrested by the Nigerian police soon for his actions that violate Nigerian Law especially the provisions of the Cybercrime Prohibition Prevention Act 2015 which provides in Section 24;
24. Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that –
(a) is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character or causes any such message or matter to be so sent; or
(b) he knows to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience
danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or
needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent:
commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not
more than N7,000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years or to
both such fine and imprisonment.
(2) Any person who knowingly or intentionally transmits or causes the transmission
(b) containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to harm the person of
another, any demand or request for a ransom for the release of any kidnapped
person, to extort from any person, firm, association or corporation, any money or
other thing of value; or
(c) containing any threat to harm the property or reputation of the addressee or of
another or the reputation of a deceased person or any threat to accuse the
addressee or any other person of a crime, to extort from any person, firm,
association, or corporation, any money or other thing of value:
commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction-
(i) in the case of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection to imprisonment for a term
of 10 years and/or a minimum fine of N25,000,000.00; and
(ii) in the case of paragraph (c) and (d) of this subsection, to imprisonment for a term
of 5 years and/or a minimum fine of N15,000,000.00.
These sections apply to the man who threatened Salawa Abeni via WhatsApp and upon his arrest, and further unfolding of the matter in public, the law can take its toll on the offender as it is established.
This issue would stand in history as a reminder of strength to ladies and men who are being blackmailed by their past.
We can choose to be like Salawa. We can look the Blackmailer in the eye and tell him/her “I do not care. You cannot threaten me. You cannot intimidate me. I cannot retreat. I would release it myself to silence you”.
This is the height of bravery. This is where Salawa Abeni has reached. Her music will stay with her fans in both the old and young generation. But also, stories of her daring in this issue would live even longer.
Koye-Ladele Mofehintoluwa writes from Ibadan. He tweets @Koye_tolu. He is an activist, poet, writer and journalist. He can be reached at koyetolu@gmail.com
