A well-known Nigerian crossdresser and Social Media influencer, Bobrisky, has recently been freed from prison after serving a six-month term. He had been found guilty of Naira abuse, especially spraying the Nigerian currency during a party, an act that is forbidden in the country. Bobrisky was sentenced by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Lagos and spent time in Kirikiri Prison. Following his release, Bobrisky warned Nigerians to be cautious and follow the law. He specifically advised against abusing the naira, to avoid imprisonment. He also expressed appreciation to his close friends who supported him during his incarceration, and added that he is now focused on the future and going ahead.
Also known as Idris Okuneye Olanrewaju, the Nigerian internet celebrity, crossdresser and social media influencer is known for the way he speaks his mind and his bold style of fashion. He got prominent all over Nigeria and globally due to breaking all the traditional gender norms of dressing and publicly declaring himself to be a guy who dresses in female attire. It remains a major issue in Nigeria’s highly conservative society. He came to the limelight in 2016 with his videos and posts going viral on Snapchat.
Credited as first gender non-conforming Nigerian in the media.
He often bragged about his flamboyant living, showing off Fashion and makeup and how he lived life lavishly. This has gained him as much admiration as it has criticism. His brazen attitude toward his identity and how he put his fans and enemies straight on social media made him very famous. Born on August 31, 1991, in Lagos, Nigeria, Bobrisky was raised in a conservative Muslim family in the Ogun State area. He attended secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria, including the University of Lagos, where he graduated in Accounting.
Furthermore, he has often been credited as the first openly gender non-conforming individual to gain significant mainstream attention in Nigeria—a country extremely hostile to LGBTQ+ rights. What sustained Bobrisky within public eyes, with his self-promotion, in particular, his claims that he was being kept by a wealthy lover, most especially financially, grew his following at a very fast rate. Controversies have marked his rise to popularity, most of them relating to his acting outside the box in matters deemed anti-cultural to the stringent norms of Nigeria.
Is the crossdresser’s imprisonment a case of prejudice?
As well, Bobrisky openly identifies with being a male but dresses in female attire, thereby creating a collision course between him and the public as well as authorities. He has been on the vanguard of promoting gay practices—such is a criminal offense in Nigeria—even though he has strategically managed to navigate these by not putting a label on his sexual orientation. One of the most famous controversies surrounding Bobrisky happened in 2020 after he was arrested on his birthday while holding a birthday party; allegedly, it was targeted by the police under the guise of COVID-19 enforcement. However, many believed it to be due to his cross-dressing.
Many people believe that Bobrisky’s imprisonment for naira abuse reflects bias within the Nigerian legal system, especially when compared to similar cases like that of Obi Cubana. Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, was charged with spraying and tampering with naira notes during a social event at Eko Hotel in Lagos. His arrest and subsequent legal proceedings follow closely after Bobrisky’s own. The case of Obi Cubana was different, as he was released almost immediately, without legal repercussions such as Bobrisky faced.
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This, according to critics, forms a clear revelation of bias. That is, probably due to the controversial personality and non-conformity of Bobrisky, he got punished very severely. This has continued to raise debates regarding the fairness of the Nigeria justice system in relation to high-profile personalities. Despite these controversies, Bobrisky has built a business empire, including a skincare line and endorsement deals. He still remains a very relevant figure on conversations on gender identity and societal norms in Nigeria. He represents a complicated storyline of stardom, scandal, and indeed navigation of identity in contemporary highly conservative times.