Fatimah Otunsanya
Afrobeats singer, Simisola Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has sparked controversy after calling for capital punishment for rapists.
Reports shows that Nigeria is currently in a sexual assault crisis with multiple rape allegations being reported in different parts of the country in recent weeks.
Reacting on Tuesday night, Simi passionately appealed to citizens and the authorities to put an end to sexual assault against women.
“I’m sickkk of this. Stop raping women. They need to castrate rapists and burn them,” she wrote in a fierce X post.
However, her suggestion of a capital punishment for rapists sparked a debate, with many arguing that the same should be given to false rape accusers.
Simi maintained that she was advocating for rape victims and not victims of false rape accusations, which further escalated ther controversy.
Shunning the outrage from her male fans, the singer explained that she was advocating for rape victims because almost all the women she knew have been “sexually assaulted at some points of their lives.”
She argued that it isn’t right to stop people from speaking against sexual assault just because of false rape accusers.
“How many of your friends have actually assaulted women as vibes?? Women are terrified to go out. Women in their homes are not safe either. Ask your sisters. Ask your female friends and your girlfriends. Ask your wives. We’re not all crazy. Stop raping women,” she added.
Simi also urged men to hold their fellow men accountable, claiming that men creating the enabling environment for rapists due to their failure to hold other accountable.