Just as popular artiste, D’banj was planning his 40th birthday and the announcement of his upcoming album, a Twitter user now identified as Seyitan Babatayo accused him of raping her. He refused to dignify the accusations with a response for a while.
Many expected that he would comment on it during his now-deleted interview with popular music journalist, Joey Akan, but that didn’t happen. Instead, his lawyers released an initial statement saying ‘This is a calculated attempt to ruin Dbanj’s long-standing character and career, as well as disrupt on-going plans for his 40th birthday and album release.’
Maybe it was trust and disbelief that made fans and colleagues alike to look away when talent manager, Benjamin Ese first called out D’banj on Instagram. Maybe they just didn’t believe him when he said, ‘obviously it’s D’banj a fucking celebrity rapist, he would be given a spare key, got into my friend’s room and forcefully threatened he would walk her out of the room naked, kept his fingers in her Vagina and repeatedly raped her,’ in a post he later deleted. Maybe it was the moral laziness and social cosiness that impel people in the same line of business to protect their own.
But in any event, the arrest of Seyitan over her supposed defamation has ignited a fierce debate over sex, law, power and privilege. And it is only just beginning. A few weeks before D’banj was called out on social media, Brymo had suffered a similar fate. But it wasn’t only Brymo, it seemed the entire Nigerian entertainment industry was undergoing a revival. Several artistes and those in Nollywood were called out. Every case was handled differently: only one of those men is currently losing business and respect. But they all suggest abuse of power and a betrayal of trust. Which raises the question: How can it be, that such men who know what conduct is acceptable and what is actionable, would put themselves in situations that could be referred to as sexual assault?
The D’Banj and Seyitan Drama
Let’s note first that D’banj and every other man that would be named in this article are innocent until proven guilty and, second, that if they are found guilty are predators.
D’banj was accused of wanting the lady and deciding to take her by force after her refusal to grace his bed after an event.
This is what the alleged victim said on social media: She was invited for an all-white party where she met D’banj. She left the party at the end of the day to lodge at her hotel (Glee Hotel) in Victoria Island. After she had arrived there, D’banj’s friend, Oyin called her and told her D’banj was willing to pay her to spend the night with him. She turned down the offer, went to bed and woke up to D’banj in her room. “I went ahead to threaten him that I was going to shout. He said if I shout, I’ll leave the hotel naked, Dbanj raped me”, Seyitan said. She told Oyin what had happened and her boyfriend, who was D’Banj’s friend, gave her $100 to get medication.
She only felt compelled to speak up after she had seen the ‘Oliver Twist’ artiste campaigning against rape. She was told by many fans that her story was unbelievable. D’banj’s refusal to make a comment about it strengthened their case. When he announced via an Instagram post, which he has since deleted, that he would be taking legal action against his accuser, he was hailed.
His lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN) in a letter addressed to Seyitan’s lawyers slammed her with an N100 million defamation lawsuit.
A part of the letter reads: “That your client makes a compensatory deposit of the sum of N100m only through these chambers in favour of our client to assuage his battered image.”
Failure to pay the sum within 48 hours, according to Ozekhome, could lead to legal action.
Many had hailed Dbanj’s move to seek legal redress on the accusation but the euphoria was short-lived. He is now a subject of internet anger and backlashes with reports on Thursday, June 18, 2020, claiming his team detained his accuser and forced her to recant her words.
Other celebrities like his former partner Don Jazzy, actors Rita Dominic, Timini Egbuson and Eku Edewor have all publicly condemned his action. Even his friend Banky-W says of the arrest, ‘If Dbanj truly was being falsely accused, then a “defamation of character” lawsuit was the right move – but that’s where it should have stopped. Whether it was overzealous police officers/Dbanj/his handlers that orchestrated it – locking Seyitan and/or her Mom in jail, seizing her phone, preventing her from reaching her lawyers/family, etc is completely wrong – and I hope Dbanj will denounce it himself.’
D’banj has not been charged with anything but the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered a probe into the allegations of rape against him. He has vehemently denied the accusations saying, ‘Today is exactly 1 week after my birthday and this will be the only time I will address the recent false allegations and lies from the pit of hell. I have chosen to do so because the incident is a slap to my face.’
Only a few hours ago, following the intense backlash, he took to his Instagram account, in an attempt to suggest he’s being victimized. He wrote ‘Innocent until proven guilty, stop social media trial. #Say no to rape and human rights violation’. The post was accompanied by a video which shows him singing his 2008 track ‘Olorun Maje. It is now clear D’Banj and his minders believe he is the victim, not 22-year-old Seyitan Babatayo who is now working with a coalition of helpers to seek justice and compensation.
Other Prominent Sexual Assault Accusations in Nigeria
Most times in Nigeria, when accusations of this magnitude are made, there’s a discussion online for a couple of days and everything is forgotten afterwards. D’banj’s case has only received as much attention because of the way he handled things. But media personality Andre Blaze was called out by the same woman, Olutimeyin Adegbeye in 2018 and 2019 and it has barely made a dent on his career.
Also, popular alternative artist, Brymo has been called out for rape on two different occasions by different women, but that didn’t go anywhere. The last time he was called out, he issued a statement saying, ‘For the last time, I’m no rapist and it is libellous to call me one’.
Earlier in June, producer Lancelot Imasuen; director, Victor Okpala, and actor, Bollylomo were all accused of sexual assault but after a few hours of online discussions, those stories were as good as forgotten. When Uti Nwachukwu was accused of rape, he quickly addressed it, filed a petition and worked to clear his name. A few days later, his accuser had deleted her account and everyone simply assumed the story must have been false.
Perhaps the worst and biggest of all the recent prominent rape cases in Nigeria is that of COZA pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo and popular photographer, Busola Dakolo. The mother-of-three revealed in an exclusive interview with YNaija that the pastor had raped her while she was a teenager in Ilorin. A few other women shared similar stories about the pastor but it was Busola that got harassed by the Police. The pastor stepped down for about two weeks and has now gone back to running his church. It’s been a year since Busola first talked about the rape and over a month since the matter was handed to the Ministry of Justice but there’s been no resolution. ‘The Nigerian legal system isn’t wired to help sexual abuse victims get justice’, she says.
Conclusion
In many instances of sexual assault, it never comes to this (the call out) but unfolds in a murmur of rumours and gossip, even nudges and winks. More often than not, the women involved weigh the stakes and decide to be silent. They judge that the burden of proof and the cost of proceedings is high and that they have little to gain and so much to lose.
When the accuser is popular or well-loved by a lot of people, the fear is even more real. The victim second-guesses herself until she eventually decides to personally deal with it and the man is left to go on and continue living his life without any consequences.