ADVOCATES
BUSOLA DAKOLO
As the #MeToo Movement spread internationally, it often struggled to gain a foothold in more conservative countries without a landmark case. Celebrity photographer Busola Dakolo became the movement’s figurehead in Nigeria when she came forward her story in July 2019. Born in Ilorin, Nigeria with a religious upbringing, Dakolo was encouraged by her sister to speak out about her assault by Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo after 20 years of silence. Despite support from her family and many local and international feminist groups, Dakolo faced extreme opposition due to Fatoyinbo’s status as leader of the 16,000-member Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (CoZA) church, which socially and financially insulated from the consequences of ongoing investigations. “Mega-churches” like CoZA hold great influence over society and the government in Nigeria, and Dakolo has received numerous verbal and physical threats for in response to her activism. Nonetheless, Dakolo continues to bravely fight for greater awareness of sexual violence within religious institutions, and on International Women’s Day 2020 she was honored as one of Nigeria’s 100 most inspiring women by Leading Ladies Africa.
Busola Dakolo as pictured in her BBC Pidgin interview, August 2019
FAKHRRIYYAH HASHIM
Fakhrriyyah Hashim is the first person responded to Adamu’s story about her experience that she was almost killed by her boyfriend on Twitter. She is 27 years old now. She is an entrepreneur in Nigeria’s capital, Abuji. She created the #ArewaMeToo tag on Twitter. It gained traction when a powerful aide to a government minister was accused of sexually assaulting minors – allegations he denies. From there, the movement took off and there was a torrent of stories from women with similar experiences. The founding of the “ArewaMeToo” movement was inspired by Hashim’s personal experience. She said that she had been sexually abused by a relative, her uncle, at the age of 6. The naming and humiliation of the abuser has been played on social media because it breaks the historical taboos of sex. And Hashim believes it is important to get as many abusers prosecuted as this will help Nigerians believe that the justice system works for everyone, even the most vulnerable, and that no one can override the law.
Fakhrriyyah Hashim's photo on the Quartz news website. She is a contributor and author on the Quartz Africa page.
OLUWASEUN AYODEJI OSOWOBI
Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi founded Stand to End Rape in June 2014 after surviving sexual violence during Nigeria’s 2011 elections. She is 29 years old and was born and raised in Nigeria. Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi received a master’s degree in International Relations at Swansea University, United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in Local Government and Development Studies at Ahmadu Bello University, Zari. She is very proud to have broken the culture of silence on rape in Nigeria. In many interviews, Oluwaseun Ayodeji has shared her story and how she was offered a bribe to keep quiet, and how at first she had regretted refusing her bribe, but later came to realize she would not have made it this far in her work. She has become stronger, more intelligent, and is putting her reputation, and possibly her life on the line to fight for the equality of women in Nigeria.
Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi’s picture for Time 100 Next most influential people in their line of work