Where is Bayowa? Career Sexploitation from Onyeka, Simi, and Bisola Oke
“Sonny Okosun decided to punish me for turning him down.” (My Father’s Daughter, p. 208)
Sonny Okosun made a sexual advance to Onyeka Onwenu during a post-production of her album at the Abbey Road Studio of EMI International. She refused him, and the hostility that followed her refusal soured their working relationship. As Onyeka recounts, Sony “maintained a hostile attitude towards me and only communicated through his brother, my ‘manager.’” She wrote, “Sonny Okosun decided to punish me for turning him down.” The word "punish" has layered meanings. The other day Simi said Brymo asked her for sex in exchange for collaboration. Brymo himself confirms it after many refuse to believe Simi.
In my neck of the woods, a lawmaker was allegedly pestering an employee for sex images. Subsequently, whether related or otherwise, she self-immolates. The circulating text messages, allegedly from the lawmaker, are very incriminating if found to be true. The other day it was Senator Natasha Apokti who alleged sexual harassment at work; whether you believe her or not is left to your conscience and how well you are informed on the power, gender, and politics of the workplace. What we have seen since she made this allegation has been nothing but punitive and hazing. Temmie Ovwasa, an exceptionally talented woman, was kicked out of an industry because she does not sleep with men. If she were a ciswoman, they would still have kept her with hope that one day she would give in.
Last night while winding down, I saw a video of Bisola Oke crying, and I had to stop. If my mother hasn’t played this woman’s song in a week, it means either someone borrowed the tape or, as usual, I may have accidentally damaged it. During the Mohbad case, this woman came out to say that Bayowa also sexually harassed her and had issues around her work with this promoter.
Watching her interview with Talk2BPodcast, the only question I have is, "Where are her royalties?" Why are agreements made under different times and circumstances not changing, even though they could be renegotiated? If you have a “stepid refrain" that "agreement is agreement," then I pray that the terms of your contract, from the time you began your job, never change for the rest of your life. Onyeka Onwenu had a similar contract with EMI that gave them copyright for all her work, leaving her with nothing.
There is more to women’s invisibility and erasure from the workplace than just personal issues like family, health, and others; there are also structural, systemic, and institutional issues. The greatest service that Onyeka did was tell her story in a book. Don’t die with your truth. Tell your story whether people believe you or not.
In the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, "I am sick and tired of being sick and tired."
