Following the outrage which greeted his recent joke on Facebook, some pro-women activists have asked comedian Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth, to lead a campaign against rape.
In a bid to amuse his fans on the social network, Basketmouth had on Sunday made rape the subject of a joke on how women manage intimate relationships with men.
The joke was interpreted by many of his friends on Facebook as encouraging rape and giving the impression that the crime was permissible.
But the comedian has since apologised and confessed that he is “clearly misunderstood”, saying that the joke was not meant to encourage rape.
Basketmouth had said, “I have a daughter that I would give my life to protect, a wife that means the world to me, a mother that made me the man that I am. Anything that is done for any woman is less than what she deserves for the role they play in our lives.
“I broadcast a joke that many clearly misunderstood and have found offensive. I sincerely apologise for this. But the intention was to highlight an unfortunate trend and the ridiculously flawed comparison between money and the worth of a woman.”
However, in order to make him atone for his ‘sin’, some activists request the stand-up comedian to join the ongoing campaign against rape in the country.
The activists insist that it is expedient for Basketmouth to correct the wrong impression that his joke has made on Nigerian youths by leading a campaign against rape.
Warning that rape should never be a subject for jokes, they demand that Basketmouth should educate the youths on the social vice.
The coordinator of Walk Against Rape and Project Capable, Esther Ijiwere, says that despite Basketmouth’s apology, his post on Facebook may have gone a long way in promoting the vice, especially date rape, before his numerous fans.
Ijiwere tweets, “It’s totally wrong for you (Basketmouth) to post a comment on your Facebook wall and make rape the highpoint of it! I am highly disappointed in you for sharing this kind of joke. How would you feel if your mother, sister, aunt, or daughter had been raped? Would it be funny?
“You are meant to be an advocate of good behaviour not the other way round! Women are your biggest fan, yet you bring us down. You should use your platform to advocate for women and join us in fighting rape not promote it please.”
A sexuality education strategist, Praise Fowowe, states that Basketmouth’s apology needs to go a step further towards advocacy against the social menace. For him, the comedian’s popularity should be channelled into role modeling especially in areas that affect the female folks.
Reacting to the development in a tweet to Basketmouth, Fowowe says, “Popularity and the ability to make jokes isn’t the same thing as role modelling. I am glad you (Basketmouth) retracted the joke and apologised. However, you need to join the fight against the crime. Remember, many young people look up to you; hence, the need to be mindful of what comes out of your mouth.
“No more jokes about cripple, imbeciles and albinos. We must stop this madness and force comedians to think up and make wholesome jokes. Well, since he has apologised we will forgive him but he needs to be more careful.”
Also, a former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has joined other Nigerians in demanding that Basketmouth becomes an anti-rape campaigner.
The former minister says she was shocked by the rape joke from the comedian. She asks Basketmouth to make use of the sad episode as an occasion for good by becoming a visible anti-rape activist in the country.
She adds, “That joke was grossly inappropriate and nothing justifies rape. I urge you to work with some groups to become a great anti-rape advocate. I do not know Basketmouth’s history on such jokes, but if this is a one-off for which he has apologised and will offer to advocate, we should heed.
“We all make mistakes at one time or another and when it happens, the measures we take to minimise the damage it causes our community matters! Advocacy against the rising scourge of rape in Nigeria would definitely benefit from the voice of a very talented gentleman like Basketmouth.
“Our entire entertainment industry – Nollywood and music — should decisively take a stand against rape and violence against women. Everyone of them!”
As the outrage against the rape joke goes on online, some Nigerians on Monday demand the head of the comedian. Those who belong to this group tweeted messages asking that his shows should be boycotted and the endorsement deals in his name suspended.
Disagreeing with those calling for a boycott of Basketmouth’s shows, a Twitter activist, Japheth Omojuwa, accuses them of wrongly pushing for his downfall.
He says, “How does asking people to deny him (Basketmouth) shows solve a problem? Why can’t we make progress out of a bad situation?
“How can you be campaigning for him to lose his shows and endorsements as though you have personal beef with him? Haba! How can you be having a go at someone’s daily bread because of a mistake? That’s hatred!”
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