Popular Yoruba actress, Bolaji Aleem, has opened up about a heartbreaking experience she went through as a child.
In an interview with FeelRightNews TV, Aleem revealed that when she was about nine years old, some men in her neighborhood took advantage of her innocence. At the time, she was living with her grandmother and kept the situation to herself because she thought it was something “normal” that children had to go through.
She recalled how older men would call her into their houses while she was hawking on the streets, and though she didn’t fully understand what was happening, she knew something was not right.
“I was very young then, around 9 or 10, but already attractive. Some men, much older than me, would invite me into their homes. I couldn’t tell my grandma because I felt she wouldn’t understand,” she said.
Aleem explained that the experience happened a few times, and because of her age, she kept silent. However, as she grew older, she began to realize what was really happening and avoided similar advances from other men.
She added that those early experiences shaped the way she viewed people and also made her more protective of herself.
Despite the painful memory, Aleem says she is sharing her story today to shed light on what young girls go through and to encourage parents and guardians to pay closer attention to their children.