Sowore Condemns Traditional Cleansing Of Ibadan Female TikToker, Kicks Against Violation Of Dignity
Sowore Condemns Traditional Cleansing Of Ibadan Female TikToker, Kicks Against Violation Of Dignity
In a statement shared on Monday, Sowore said he had learned that the TikTok content creator underwent a traditional cleansing ritual after filming an Oloolu masquerade procession.
Fiery human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the reported traditional cleansing ritual performed on a female TikTok content creator following controversy over a video linked to the annual Oloolu Masquerade Festival in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Sowore described the incident as an abuse of the woman’s dignity, arguing that no cultural, religious or traditional practice should be allowed to undermine fundamental human rights.
In a statement shared on Monday, Sowore said he had learned that the TikTok content creator underwent a traditional cleansing ritual after filming an Oloolu masquerade procession.
“I learned today that a TikToker underwent a traditional ‘cleansing’ ritual after filming an Oloolu masquerade procession,” he said.
While acknowledging the importance of culture in society, the activist maintained that traditions which are oppressive, discriminatory or insensitive to gender should be discarded.
“While culture occupies a vital place in our lives, any cultural practice that is oppressive, discriminatory, or insensitive to gender should be abandoned immediately,” Sowore stated.
He further argued that the woman, identified as Wasilat, was subjected to humiliation by individuals who often criticise similar acts carried out in the name of religion.
“Wasila was ultimately abused and stripped of her dignity by the very people who are often quick to condemn Islamists for engaging in similar acts.
“It does not matter whether such abuse is carried out by Islamists, traditionalists, or anyone else.
“Any culture, tradition, or belief system that violates human dignity is unacceptable and has no place in a just society,” Sowore added.
The comments followed days of controversy surrounding Wasilat after claims circulated on social media that she had secretly filmed the sacred Oloolu masquerade during the annual festival in Ibadan.
The allegations sparked widespread reactions, with videos later emerging online showing the young woman undergoing traditional cleansing rites at the Oloolu compound.
However, Wasilat has denied the allegations, insisting that she neither recorded the revered masquerade nor died, contrary to rumours widely circulated on social media.
Speaking during an interview on Lagelu FM’s Ibi Aye N Lo programme hosted by Adesoye Omotosho on Monday, she dismissed reports claiming she captured footage of the sacred masquerade.
“I am not dead. I did not capture the Oloolu masquerade. May I not be implicated, I did not record Oloolu,” she said.
Recounting the events that led to the controversy, Wasilat explained that she had unexpectedly gone to her family’s shop on the day of the incident.
“What happened that day, last Thursday, around the Oremeji axis, I don’t know what prompted me to go to our shop because I was at home.
“When I got to the shop, I didn’t even open it. I just stayed in front of the shop because we had packed up from that area.
“When I saw people passing, I saw an Amotekun vehicle passing. Oloolu did not even pass through that route.
“So I filmed it and posted it on social media. Everyone in the TikTok comment section asked me to delete it. The following day, while I was at the shop, they came to meet me there.”
She also expressed disappointment that she received no support during the ordeal.
“I don’t know why the eyewitness on Thursday did not defend me. I don’t know who came up with that agenda, but I know God will judge,” she said.
Earlier reports indicated that the content creator allegedly narrowly escaped death after she was accused of filming a procession associated with the Oloolu Masquerade Festival.
The incident triggered intense debate on social media, with opinions divided between those who defended the enforcement of long-standing traditional practices surrounding the festival and others who argued that such actions violated individual rights and personal dignity.
Sowore’s intervention has further amplified calls for a broader conversation on the balance between preserving cultural heritage and protecting the constitutional rights and dignity of citizens.
His position underscores the growing debate over whether traditional customs should be reformed where they conflict with internationally recognised human rights principles, particularly in cases involving alleged public humiliation, coercion or discrimination.
