“How I Was Sold for Pr0stituti0n In Mali” – Adeola Omotoso Narrates 

Adeola Omotoso, the daughter of Nollywood veteran Jumoke George, is finally back home after four years of suffering and silence in Mali. In a recent tearful interview, Adeola opened up on how she was tricked and trafficked into prostitution in Mali.

Her journey began when a woman offered her employment as a pharmacy attendant in Mali. Without seeking permission from her family members, she traveled from Nigeria and took the road to Cotonou, Togo, Ghana, and other states.

Her entire life took a turn when she arrived at Bamako, the capital city of Mali. There, she was told that she was “bought” by some person for N250,000 and she would have to pay back 1.5 million CFA francs by becoming a prostitute.  

Adeola begged to be allowed to do alternative work, but her documents and phone were taken away from her, and she was left stranded. She was driven to a brothel but managed to escape later after she encountered a kind man who helped her get a job with a food seller.

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Her time in Mali made her witness other Nigerian girls lose their lives to the dangers of sex trafficking. She felt ashamed, depressed, and too afraid to phone her family. Sometimes, she even thought she would die there. 

Thanks to the efforts of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Adeola has since been rescued and reunited with her mother. Her ordeal is a clear pointer to the dangers of human trafficking and the need for youth to be cautious whenever faced with opportunities abroad.