•(L-R): NiDCOM chairman Abike Dabiri-Erewa, actress Biola Adebayo, Adeola and actor Adeniyi Johnson
Adeola Omotoso, daughter of Nollywood actress Jumoke George, has shared the harrowing story of how she was trafficked to Mali and forced into prostitution.
Adeola was recently reunited with her mother after being located in Mali, where she had been living under distressing conditions, reports Saturday Vanguard.
In a recent interview, Adeola recounted how her nightmare began when she accepted an offer to travel to Mali for what she believed was a legitimate job opportunity.
“I met someone who introduced travelling to Mali to me. She said she knows someone who owns a pharmacy and asked if I could travel there to handle the business,” Adeola explained.
“I agreed but didn’t inform anyone at home. We travelled by road for four days through Cotonou, Togo, Ghana, and other countries.”
She continued, “When I got to Bamako in Mali, I called the contact I was given. When I got to the person’s house, she said she is my madam and that she bought me from my sister. She said I’ll work to pay her 1.5 million CFA francs.”
Shocked and confused, she tried to confirm if she was in the right place, only to be told bluntly that her purpose in Mali was sex work.
“I told her I can’t do it and would rather die. She threatened me, and I told her she’s free to do whatever she wants,” Adeola said.
As punishment for her refusal, the traffickers seized her phone and travel documents, leaving her stranded. She was later taken to a brothel, but she managed to escape with the help of a man who helped her find work as a food vendor.
“He helped me in finding a job with a food seller in another location,” she said. “While working as a food seller there, I heard stories and saw Nigerians who died because of prostitution.”
Adeola said she was determined not to return home empty-handed after four years away, despite the trauma and suffering she endured.
“I wanted to raise some money so I could come back home, and I didn’t want to return home empty. I thought about calling my mum and kids, but I couldn’t call because I felt ashamed of myself,” she said.
“I left home since four years and have nothing to show for it. I was suffering but didn’t know what to do. I even told my roommate to not post me on social media if I die.”
She concluded emotionally, “I don’t know how good my mum is before God that made Him save me from all the evil that was about to befall me in Mali.”
