Nigerian media personality and actress, Omotunde Adebowale-David, popularly known as Lolo 1, has bravely opened up about her deeply personal experience with sexual assault by a colleague in the broadcasting industry.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Say My Piece podcast, which she co-hosts, Lolo revealed that she was raped by a male colleague, an experience that continues to haunt her. While she did not disclose the identity of the individual involved, she explained that her decision to withhold full details stems from a fear of public backlash for not speaking out sooner.
“I hardly ever talk about this, and I’m still not ready to tell the full story,” she said emotionally. “When I spoke with my daughter about it yesterday, she held my hand and said, ‘Mummy, you’ve been through so much.’ And she’s right—I have.”
Lolo recounted how the assault has left a lasting emotional scar, especially since she still encounters her assailant regularly. “I have been raped only once in my life, and it was by a colleague. I still see him from time to time. Do you know how traumatising that is? Each time I see him, I have a momentary panic attack.”
She also spoke to the societal pressure and stigma surrounding survivors who choose to speak up later in life. “If I named him—an established figure in the broadcast industry—people would ask, ‘Why are you speaking now, after six years, just because he’s in a prominent TV position?’”
Lolo highlighted the psychological toll sexual assault takes on victims, pointing out that denial and self-blame are often the first emotional responses. “When sexual assault happens, the first reaction is denial. Then you start blaming yourself—thinking maybe it was your fault.”
Her revelation has sparked conversations online, with many praising her courage and calling for more support for survivors of sexual violence, particularly within professional industries where silence is often the norm.
