Veteran Nollywood actress and social advocate Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde have disclosed that her children were targeted with death threats during Nigeria’s 2020 #EndSARS protests — a development she described as the most harrowing experience of her activism journey and one that compelled her to shift from street demonstrations to more strategic advocacy for change.
In a revealing interview on Channels Television’s Rubbin’ Minds programme on Sunday, Omotola, one of Nigeria’s most respected entertainers and humanitarians, said the intensity of public backlash during the nationwide anti-police brutality protests went far beyond what she had previously experienced as a public figure.
She noted that while she had become accustomed to receiving threats over the years, nothing prepared her for the moment when her children were drawn into the animosity.
“I am used to death threats; I have received them many times,” she told host Ebuka Obi-Jonez. “But I have never seen anything like what happened during #EndSARS. It was intense — my kids started getting death threats. That was when it became real.”
When Activism Became a Family Risk
Omotola explained that the situation escalated from online harassment to real-world intimidation when individuals began searching for her at her home and workplace, raising serious concerns about her family’s safety.
The actress, who has balanced her film career with decades of humanitarian work, said this moment was a turning point in how she approaches activism.
“As soon as people started coming physically to my home and place of work looking for me, I knew I had to worry about other people and not just myself,” she said. “I can’t control where they go. I can’t protect them as much. I don’t care for my life, but I care for them.”
Omotola was actively involved in the #EndSARS movement — attending protests at symbolic sites such as Lagos’ Lekki Toll Gate, engaging with international media and advocacy groups, and amplifying calls for an end to police brutality and greater accountability.
The #EndSARS movement, which erupted nationwide in October 2020, aimed to end police brutality, especially by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), whose officers were accused of unlawful arrests, extortion, and extrajudicial killings.
The protests drew Nigerians from all walks of life demanding justice and reform.
In reflecting on the incident, Omotola said the ordeal reshaped her advocacy: she now focuses less on physical protests and more on strategic engagement with institutions and communities where she believes lasting change can be achieved without endangering loved ones.
The actress, whose career spans more than three decades, has also been recognized internationally for her influence — including being named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People — and continues to champion humanitarian causes across Nigeria and beyond.
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