Before now, no one knew Imeh Bishop aka Okon existed until he recently posted an incendiary video on his Instagram: In it, the actor and comedian comically tried to explain why rape isn’t the correct term for what happened to the women involved in the recent Abuja police raid, which spurred protests within and outside Nigeria. He explained it as theft, that the policemen who assaulted these women stole sex from them, saying sex workers don’t have self-pride and dignity.

With this unbelievably atrocious opinion, Okon has minimised the gravity of rape and the trauma those women are currently dealing with. More to the point, his views doesn’t seem to hold the police authorities accountable for their despicable, dehumanising actions. The internet has been reacting to the video since Tuesday, full of rage and shock and the disillusionment that men Okon won’t face the consequences of their opinions because this is Nigeria.

I don’t know how anyone can defend Okon and his distasteful joke.
Sex workers need to give consent before engaging in any sexual activity. Anything outside of that is rape.

— Ada Campbell (@Adacampbell) May 16, 2019

There are people who found Okon’s video funny? Like actual people? Mark them. Mark rapists. Mark rape apologists. Save yourselves.

— Written By (@DamiElebe) May 15, 2019

Idi ere ni a ti n mo ooto oro. – Yoruba Proverb

You don’t hear people like Okon taking jabs at the dignity of men who patronize sex workers. Women are the easy targets of their jokes. This is how you know its not just jokes. It’s a culture of victimizing women talking.

— Amara Nwankpa (@Nwankpa_A) May 15, 2019

Okon has, in the last twenty-four hours, been defending his stance on his Instagram, being dismissive and facetious to people calling him out. Now, the comedian has released another video in which he’s just nauseatingly unwavering in his views. And the tweets below make succinct points about the discourse.

Okon doesn’t understand that his point can also be made if he agrees that it was rape as well. I mean, you say it’s theft, you aren’t wrong but why can’t it be both? If at all you want to make your point clear.

No consent = rape
No payment = theft

Point still made. https://t.co/RsppEtPPZK

— Champ (@Otigbadavid) May 16, 2019

Okon has no shame. And really, it shouldn’t surprise anybody that a rape apologist has no shame.
It says a lot that this fool thinks that women getting abducted by police & raped is a joke. Even more telling is the fact that he thinks it isn’t rape if you rape sex workers. Trash.

— Raleigh Ritchie’s Sugar Baby (@Kayode_ani) May 16, 2019