In the glitz and glamour of Eniola Ajao’s recent movie premiere, all eyes were on Nigeria’s controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, who effortlessly stole the spotlight as the best dressed female celebrity of the evening.
But beneath the admiration and accolades, little did Bobrisky know that a storm was brewing.
The aftermath of that media attention she enjoyed at the premiere and post-event doesn’t seem to be part of what he had bargained for.
In the fiercely competitive world of the Nigerian entertainment industry, his victory sparked heated debates among the leading ladies of the industry, each vying for their own moment in the spotlight.
There was Dayo Amusa, Femi Adebayo, and his wife, Aduke’s, moment. There were others who registered their displeasure on social media platforms over the outcome of Bobrisky’s drama.
The social media became such a battleground that it took attention away from the premiere to the verbal skirmishes that emerged in the aftermath of the premiere.
A social media user on the X platform, @feranmi, said, ” I really can’t remember or tell anyone the title of the movie that was premiered. The attention that was meant for the movie shifted effortlessly to Bobrisky’s best-dressed winning. I am sure most people would feel the same way. I think this is a publicity stunt that went from bad to worse.”
From Movie Premiere to EFCC trouble
Just when the dust raised on social media by verbal skirmishes was settling down, Bobrisky found himself thrust into yet another controversy, but this time, the stakes were higher and the adversaries more formidable.
For those familiar with the flamboyant persona of Bobrisky, his defiant stance on matters of identity and sexuality is as notorious as it is unapologetic.
Yet, even he could not have foreseen the abrupt intrusion of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into his glittering world.
The arrest was swift. The social media soon became tense, with words flying around that the ‘Mummy of Lagos’ may have landed in the EFCC net.
Shockwaves through mass of social media followers
While media keypad warriors were trying to change the narrative, news confirmed it that Bobrisky was indeed apprehended by the EFCC on allegations of currency mutilation, a charge that sent shockwaves through his legion of social media followers.
As his mugshot circulated online, the gravity of the situation became apparent, and many people’s fears were confirmed.
The self-proclaimed “Mummy of Lagos” has found himself entangled in a legal quagmire, far removed from the realm where his sharp wit and biting retorts held sway.
As of Wednesday evening, the EFCC said Bobrisky would be charged to court, and on Thursday, he was said to have been convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos for naira abuse.
Bobrisky stood before the Federal High Court in Lagos, facing a litany of charges related to currency abuse.
In a surprising turn of events, he pleaded guilty, offering a contrite plea for leniency and a commitment to use his platform for educational purposes.
With his six-count charge reduced to four after the commission said the allegation of money laundering earlier levelled against him had been dropped, Bob as some call him is now standing trial on a four-count charge.
The Federal High Court has now fixed April 9, 2024 to sentence Bobrisky.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro reserved the date for his judgment after Bobrisky pleaded guilty to a four-count charge of naira abuse brought against him by the EFCC.
The judge ordered that the convict be remanded in EFCC custody pending sentence.
The wheels of justice are turning inexorably forward, and Bobrisky, who was once a brilliant figure, finds himself at a crossroads with his destiny hanging in the balance.
April 9, 2024, looms large on the horizon as the court considers his sentencing. This date will be significant in Bobrisky’s life story as it will bring him from “fashion icon to the centre of attention in the legal system.”
There is yet more to come in Bobrisky’s gripping story in Justice Awogboro’s courtroom.
Leave a comment