Veteran Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has revealed that her open support for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections was influenced by the intense online bullying she and other entertainers faced at the time.
Speaking on the WithChude podcast, shared on Instagram on Saturday, Akintola condemned what she described as rampant cyberbullying during the election season. She noted that celebrities were frequently attacked for expressing their political choices.
Akintola recalled an incident involving fellow veteran actress Joke Silva, who was heavily criticised online for her political stance. She said the hostility directed at Silva motivated her to publicly affirm her support for Tinubu.
“Somebody annoyed me. Nigerians annoyed me. Do not bully other people. We all have a right to our opinions. You don’t like this man? Fine. You prefer someone else? Good for you,” she said.
She added that she made a video at the time to emphasize her stand “But someone bullied Aunty Joke so badly that someone wrote something deeply offensive. I then made a video saying, ‘I’m supporting the same person. Kill me if you want. Let me see you change my mind with your bullying.’”
Akintola stressed the need for tolerance in a democratic society.
“We need to stop this. We need to understand that we’ll never all agree. That diversity is what makes us beautiful. If we were all the same, life would be boring,” she said.
Despite disagreements surrounding the election, she maintained that she stands by her choice.
“Even if you still don’t think he was the best person for the job, at that time he was my choice. And that’s who I voted for.”
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