I was forced to fake illness after Oloolu masquerade controversy — TikToker

A TikToker, Wasilat Olalere, has alleged that she was forced to falsely claim she became ill after recording activities surrounding the annual Oloolu masquerade in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Olalere made the allegation during an interview with an Islamic cleric in a video that surfaced on Wednesday, insisting that she neither saw the revered masquerade nor suffered any strange ailment, contrary to claims she made in an earlier viral video.

According to her, she only recorded Amotekun operatives and residents gathered in anticipation of the masquerade’s outing before posting the clip on TikTok.

“I recorded Amotekun vehicles that were parked and people who were in front of our house waiting for the Oloolu masquerade. I only captioned the video to alert people to be careful of their movement,” she said.

Olalere said she deleted the video after receiving complaints from people who warned her against posting it, but claimed that copies had already been saved and circulated.

She alleged that shortly afterward, men identified as members of the Oloolu traditional institution, popularly known as Sokoti, stormed her shop, threatened her and took her away despite pleas from residents.

According to her, she was first detained at the Agungun Police Station before being released on bail, after which she was allegedly taken to Ode Aje for traditional rites.

Olalere claimed that her family was instructed to provide a goat, red cloth and blade for the ritual before she was subjected to a cleansing ceremony.

She further alleged that those present compelled her to record a video claiming she became ill and suffered unexplained bleeding after seeing the masquerade.

“They recorded me and told me to say that I had been sick since I saw Oloolu and that I was bleeding all over my body. Nothing happened to me. I was not sick,” she alleged.

She also claimed that her husband was made to pay N400,000 after purchasing items required for the traditional rites.

The controversy began after a video allegedly showing the Oloolu masquerade went viral on social media, drawing criticism from custodians of the centuries-old cultural institution, who argued that the masquerade is not meant to be recorded or publicly displayed.

Following the backlash, another video later emerged showing Olalere claiming she had fallen ill after recording the masquerade and had undergone traditional cleansing.

However, the Family Secretary of the Oloolu masquerade, Oluwo Ishola Akeem, denied allegations that Olalere was assaulted or forced to undergo the rites.

Akeem maintained that she voluntarily admitted violating cultural norms and willingly sought traditional appeasement after consultations with her family. He also dismissed reports that she died after the ceremony and denied claims of physical abuse.

Olalere’s latest account, however, contradicts that position, as she insists the ritual, the recorded confession and the payment of N400,000 were all carried out under duress.