Veteran Actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde Reveals Family Threats During #EndSARS Protests
Renowned Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde has made a startling revelation about the personal dangers her family faced during the historic 2020 #EndSARS protests. The screen icon, with a career spanning three decades, disclosed that her children received direct death threats, an experience that profoundly altered her approach to social activism.
Intensified Threats During National Crisis
Speaking candidly during an appearance on Channels Television's Rubbin' Minds program on Sunday, February 8, Jalade-Ekeinde described the unprecedented nature of the threats she encountered. "I am accustomed to receiving death threats throughout my career," the actress stated. "However, I had never witnessed anything comparable to what transpired during the #EndSARS period. The intensity was overwhelming. When my children began receiving death threats, the situation became truly alarming."
The actress, who actively participated in the protests at Lagos's Lekki Toll Gate and engaged in international advocacy with media organizations and NGOs, characterized this period as the most severe backlash she has ever experienced. The threats escalated beyond digital harassment to physical intimidation. "When individuals started appearing at my residence and workplace searching for me," she recounted, "I realized I needed to consider the safety of others beyond myself."
Strategic Shift in Activism Approach
This direct threat to her family prompted a fundamental reevaluation of her activism methodology. Jalade-Ekeinde explained her philosophical transition: "I have considered myself an activist throughout my adult life. However, as my children matured, I recognized the necessity to reconsider my strategies. I cannot monitor their movements constantly, and I refuse to allow my children to suffer consequences for choices I have made."
The actress emphasized that the #EndSARS experience served as a definitive turning point. "That protest movement clearly demonstrated that I required a new approach," she noted. "Consequently, I have transitioned from physical activism to comprehensive advocacy work, focusing on systemic change through different channels."
Controversial Statements and Public Backlash
Jalade-Ekeinde's involvement during the protests also involved public controversy. Following the tragic shootings at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, the actress faced significant criticism for a social media post that suggested "if no one died, people should avoid sensationalizing the event, as this does not diminish the crime that occurred." Many Nigerians interpreted this statement as insensitive and potentially questioning the confirmed fatalities at the scene.
The actress subsequently issued an apology, clarifying that she never doubted the loss of life and intended to maintain focus on the atrocity's severity. The #EndSARS movement, which protested police brutality by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), remains a watershed moment in Nigeria's contemporary history, with numerous demands for justice and comprehensive police reform still awaiting fulfillment.
This revelation highlights the personal risks public figures and their families sometimes endure when engaging in social movements, while illustrating how traumatic experiences can reshape activist methodologies and personal priorities in profound ways.
