Veteran Nollywood actress and activist, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, has revealed that her children received death threats during the 2020 protests, forcing her to rethink her approach to activism.
Omotola made the disclosure while speaking on Channels Television’s Rubbin’ Minds, where she described the period as the most intense backlash she has ever faced despite years of advocacy work.
“I am used to death threats; I have received them many times,” she said. “But I have never seen anything like what happened then. It was intense. My kids started getting death threats. That was when it became real.”
The actress said her involvement during the protests included international advocacy, media engagements and street participation, adding that the situation escalated when unknown persons began searching for her physically.
“When people started coming to my home and workplace looking for me, I knew I had to worry about other people and not just myself,” she said.
She explained that as her children grew older, she was forced to adjust her activism strategy to prioritise their safety.
“I can’t control where they go. I can’t protect them as much. I don’t care for my life, but I care for them,” she said.
Omotola, known for her humanitarian and advocacy engagements, has worked with several international organisations, including Amnesty International and the United Nations World Food Programme, and has been involved in campaigns across the Niger Delta and parts of West Africa.
