Togolese Activist calls out Yemi Alade for “helping sustain political oppression”

Farida Nabourema, a Togolese activist has called out singer Yemi Alade for her role in perpetuating the political oppression of the people of Togo.

She said this in an interview with Sahara Reporters, where she discussed how African celebrities, as opposed to celebrities in other parts of the world, use their positions to endorse political oppression.

The people of Togo have for the past month been protesting their president Faure Gnassingbe, who has been in power since 2005, after the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled for 38 years.

The activist, Nabourema, has been a particularly rallying force, using her social media to promote the protests, and speaking to media houses around the world, including AlJazeera.

In the emotional interview with Sahara Reporters, the activist also called out footballer Emmanuel Adebayor, who endorsed Gnassingbe for presidency in 2015.

The Togolese people lost their respect for him after that, she said.

Nabourema went on to say she used to love Yemi Alade, until she listened to her singing in support of “one of the most brutal dictators in Togo, because they paid her a couple of hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

She said she was so angry and mad at the Nigerian singer, and would curse her if she ever gets to meet her.

She described the singer as someone who is “feeding on the suffering of others.” “They are embellishing the image of a brutal dictator just for a couple of thousands of dollars,” she continued.

See the interview below: