|By Queen Banigo
Nigerian singer Simisola Bolatito Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has forcefully addressed the backlash trailing the resurfacing of tweets she posted in 2012, insisting that her words were misrepresented and stripped of context.
The controversy erupted after the singer condemned rape in strong terms, declaring that rapists should be “burnt and castrated” during online conversations surrounding the sexual assault allegations involving TikToker Mirabel, who later withdrew her claims. Her uncompromising stance triggered divided reactions across social media platforms.
As criticism intensified, some users combed through Simi’s old posts and circulated tweets from over a decade ago. In the resurfaced messages, the singer referenced a four-year-old child allegedly having a crush on her and jokingly described the child attempting to act affectionately.
Responding swiftly on her X page, Simi rejected what she described as a deliberate distortion of her past.
“I haven’t been on Twitter today, but someone brought a few of my old tweets to my attention, and I can’t not address it,” she wrote. “Fourteen years ago, I was 23, so I was definitely not a child. I’m not here to make excuses because I don’t have anything to make excuses for. What I can’t let anyone do is twist my story to fit false narratives.”
She explained that at the time, she lived with and assisted at her mother’s daycare while simultaneously pursuing her music career. According to her, she frequently tweeted about daily experiences, including humorous moments involving children.
“In 2012, I lived and helped out at my mom’s daycare while hustling my music. I tweeted everything that happened in my life, as we all did at the time. Kids can be mischievous. If a child did something I found funny, I tweeted about it,” she clarified, stressing that nothing she posted stemmed from perversion.
Simi further argued that she was not a public figure at the time and did not anticipate that casual tweets would later be reinterpreted under a harsher spotlight.
“I was not famous then, so maybe if I was, I would have understood that anything is open to interpretation, including being used falsely by a faceless mob. I’ve never been depraved in my life,” she stated, adding that she had nothing to conceal.
The singer disclosed that she has deleted some of the old tweets out of consideration for her family but firmly reaffirmed her longstanding opposition to sexual violence.
“I have always spoken against rape and sexual assault, even before you knew I existed. It’s not a costume I’m wearing, it’s who I am,” she wrote. “I’ve never claimed to be perfect. I’ve never claimed to know everything. I said stop raping women. I stand by it.”
The development has continued to generate debate online, with supporters rallying behind the singer’s clarification while critics question the tone and content of the resurfaced posts.
