Nollywood Actress Bimbo Akintola has opened up about why she openly endorsed President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections.
Akintola, alongside other Yoruba Nollywood stars such as Ibironke Ojo, known as Ronke Oshodi-Oke, Ganiu Nafiu, popularly known as Alapini, Toyin Abraham, and Olaiya Igwe, publicly supported and campaigned for President Bola Tinubu during the lead-up to the 2023 General Election.
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Before the election, the actress had consistently praised Mr Tinubu, particularly for what she described as his enduring support for the entertainment industry.
While most Nollywood stars who supported the president during the election later expressed their regrets publicly due to hardship, the 55-year-old stands firm.
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In a conversation on ‘With Chude’, the 55-year-old actress explained that persistent bullying from social media users strengthened her resolve.
Increasing hostility
The Nollywood star criticised what she described as an increasing hostility toward differing political opinions.
“I am always quiet, I don’t do politics. However, I supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the last election because someone had annoyed me with their bullying. Nigerians are annoying. Don’t bully other people.
“We have our rights to differences of opinion. You don’t like this man, cool, you have the right not to like him. You prefer this person, good for you. But don’t bully others,” she said.
The movie star also recalled how veteran actress Joke Silva was harshly targeted for her support of Tinubu. According to her, witnessing such attacks only motivated her to speak up more boldly.
“They bullied Aunt Joke to the point that someone wrote something so inhumane. I made a video and said, ‘I’m also supporting Tinubu, kill me, let me see if you can change my mind with the bully,” she said.
The actress, who is popular for her role in ‘Freedom Way’, however, urged Nigerians to respect others’ political choices and avoid harassment.
“We need to stop bullying. We need to agree that we can never agree with everybody. That’s what makes us great and beautiful. Till tomorrow, you might not agree he was the best person for the job, but at that point, that was who I wanted; that is who I voted for. You can’t take my voice away from me; it’s mine,” she said.
Womanhood
The actress also spoke about the surprising challenges that come with natural stages of womanhood, such as menstruation and menopause, noting that they often bring many complications.
“I’m shocked that I knew nothing about perimenopause before it happened to me. It’s the stage, lasting nearly two decades, when your body begins the long process of saying goodbye to fertility, so by the time you reach full menopause, that chapter is completely closed.
“I remember crying about it for hours. During this period, everything feels out of balance. You don’t feel like yourself, you’re not happy, and there’s often depression and anxiety, and many people don’t even realise what’s happening to them. Your drive drops, and some husbands misunderstand this and think you’re being unfaithful,” she said.
She also voiced concern over the rising cases of girl-child defilement and urged mothers to step up sensitisation efforts so children can speak out immediately if they are touched inappropriately.
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