Nearly 15,000 Nigerians have signed an online petition to strip Nigerian International Pop Star, Oladapo Oyebanjo popularly known as D’Banj of his position as United Nations Ambassador for Peace.
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This is in light of the trending allegation of rape being leveled against D’Banj by a certain Benjamin Ese on social media.
Benjamin Ese alleged that the pop star raped her friend Seyitan at a hotel room in December of 2018.
According to the allegation, D’Banj met Seyitan at an all white party at the Eko Hotels and offered her money to spend the night with him. She allegedly turned it down and went to a different hotel to spend the night.
“D’Banj drove all the way from Eko hotel where he was lodged and came down to glee hotel in Victoria Island at midnight 2.40 am and collected the spare key from the receptionist,” Ese wrote.
“D’Banj got into my friend’s room and forcefully threatened he would walk her out of the room naked, kept his fingers in her vagina, and repeatedly raped her.”
The thread has since caused a national outrage with about 15,000 people signing an online petition against the pop star which read;
“We call on the United Nations, and United Nations Women Africa organisations to remove Nigerian artiste Mr Dapo Oyebanjo as a youth ambassador and distance themselves from his actions following the sponsored kidnap of Seyitan who accused D’Banj of rape and sexual assault which happened in 2018.
Women in Nigeria are increasingly at risk of sexual violence and the United Nations and United Nations Women Africa as an entity committed to the empowerment of women should not be seen to associate themselves with alleged rapists, abusers, and kidnappers.
“We ask the United Nations and United Nations Women Africa to support and lend their influence in helping Seyitan get justice for the abuse she endured in 2018 and the harassment and bullying in the past weeks.”
The petitioners also called for other brands to end their endorsement of D’Banj and stand in support of victims of sexual assault.