Today, I find myself in a rather peculiar situation, writing on a topic I never expected to approach—no matter how relevant it might be to our collective mental health. Yet, I’ve come to realise that there’s often something comforting in turning away from the relentless onslaught of national problems to focus on the lighter, more curious aspects of life—providing a cathartic escape. This is precisely how I view the ongoing debate about whether Idris Okuneye, the infamous social media cross-dresser popularly known as Bobrisky, actually served his six-month sentence at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility after his conviction for currency abuse.
Let’s be honest: in the grand scheme of things, should it really concern Nigerians if a pampered adult ends up in prison for violating the law? Especially one who has chosen a lifestyle that is not only unfamiliar to many but also contrary to what most Africans consider, at best, an aberration. I won’t even delve into how this individual has managed to attract millions of followers on social media and amass a fortune that affords him a life of luxury. These are just some of the puzzling questions that arise when trying to understand the phenomenon known as Bobrisky.
So, who exactly is Idris Okuneye? From available records, we know that the impeccably dressed “lady” who once rained crisp naira notes while King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (KWAM 1) performed at a birthday celebration was, in reality, a man dressed as a woman. I vividly recall watching that video with mixed emotions, wondering if my favourite musical icon had crossed a line by seemingly endorsing something that, in my view, should have been unequivocally rejected. I watched Bobrisky gyrating to KWAM 1’s praises, feeling a deep sense of unease. Something dangerous, I thought, was being unleashed on society, though I didn’t fully understand the scope of the threat. Often, it’s the small things we overlook that eventually grow into the monsters that haunt us.
What alarmed me even more was seeing respected Nollywood actors, especially from the Yoruba film industry, joining in the festivities—dancing, spraying money, and celebrating with Bobrisky. I shook my head, realising they were embarking on a dangerous path. To them, it might have seemed like harmless fun, possibly just part of the theatrics of the entertainment world. They may have rationalised that Bobrisky was simply “catching cruise” and living his truth. But therein lies the problem—we rarely ask the tough questions, preferring to sweep them under the rug until they inevitably resurface and demand our attention.
And now, the Bobrisky saga has come full circle, splattering us all with the fallout. When I say “us,” I mean everyone who stood by and encouraged his rise, when we could have extinguished the flames before they grew into the blaze that now engulfs us. If my memory serves me right, Bobrisky isn’t even Nigeria’s first or most famous cross-dresser—Denrele Edun held that title before him. But somehow, Bobrisky emerged from the shadows, becoming a sensation, acquiring properties in Abuja and Lagos, and surrounding himself with high-powered lawyers. His connections reportedly extended into the corridors of power, which might explain his boldness and apparent sense of invincibility.
There was even a viral video of Bobrisky donating a substantial sum of money at a Muslim gathering, with the cleric praising his generosity despite his feminine appearance. In another video, Islamic clerics were seen praying for a lavishly dressed Okuneye as he handed out crisp naira notes. It was a disturbing sight. Given his high-profile clientele (don’t ask me what kind of business they engage in), it’s no wonder Bobrisky, like many others in our flawed society, began to see himself as untouchable. Wealth and a bit of fame often breed a dangerous level of confidence, and Bobrisky was no exception.
And so, the recent controversy surrounding Bobrisky’s six-month jail term has shed light on the deeper issues plaguing Nigeria’s correctional facilities. Many Nigerians feel the sentence was harsh, considering the widespread nature of the offence. However, the real shock came when social media celebrity Martins Otse, aka Very Dark Man, exposed the preferential treatment Bobrisky received during his time at Kirikiri Maximum Prison in Lagos. It appears that Bobrisky enjoyed privileges typically reserved for high-ranking officials and the wealthy, raising concerns about corruption within the nation’s correctional facilities. This revelation has sparked outrage, but unfortunately, it’s not a surprise to many Nigerians who have long been aware of the systemic issues plaguing the country’s institutions. When VDM, in the video he posted on Instagram, said the palms of senior officers in charge of the Kirikiri facility were greased before Bobrisky was whisked to a special accommodation to enjoy his prison holiday, no one would have expected that such generosity would naturally come from the milk of kindness that flows through the veins of the authorities of the prisons. Like we put it in the local parlance, something must happen for something to happen. Again, when VDM says that some officers of the all-powerful Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) collected a whopping sum of N15m from Okuneye to enable them drop the charge of money laundering from the gamut of charges to be brought against him at the court, it is not impossible that most of us would doubt the possibility of such “friendly arrangement,” knowing how corruption corrupts the seemingly incorrupt in the system. Unless we want to play the ostrich and close our eyes to the imperfections in the system, we all know that a lot of shady deals go on in the name of fighting corruption and, unfortunately so, some of the agents dip their hands in the corrosive till. That is the reality.
•Written by Yomi Odunuga
