‘I was flogged with masquerade whip’ — Denrele recounts assault by cousins

Denrele Edun, award-winning Nigerian media personality, says five of his female cousins assaulted him and his mother on his 20th birthday.

The TV host shared details of the incident in an Instagram post ahead of his 40th birthday.

He said on the morning of his 20th birthday, there was a clash between his mother and his female cousins.

Edun said while they were exchanging words with his mother, he attempted to calm the situation but they pounced on him.

The entertainer said he was flogged with masquerade whips, noting that the development infuriated him but did not want to engage them in a fight.

“Twenty years ago! My 20th birthday. Less than 20 days to my 40th Birthday, come June 13th. This wonderful 20th Birthday of mine fell on an environmental sanitation day and as usual, we had to wake up at 5a.m to start cleaning out the entire surroundings,” he wrote.

“Since our family house was located at the corner piece of Faneye Junction in Ebute Metta, it meant cleaning out the entire Stretch of ‘gutter’ that spiraled from the back of the house through to the next building. And that job fell on the shoulders of the only male in the house: me!

“In the process of cleaning out the Gutters, I heard raised voices emanating from the house. ‘Witch! Bastard! Go back to your country, you poor foreigner with your children. Wretched Oyinbo!’

“I already knew my female cousins were at war with my mother but trusting my MFM Prayer warrior of a mum, she was one to never back down!

“Not on my birthday. Please God! Can I even survive this day in peace and tranquility?’ I thought to myself.

“Next thing, my cousins waltzed out of the house still screaming expletives at my mum, one slapped my little sister on the face cos she was in her way and then they came up to me. Five girls in total.

“They started taunting me especially insulting my dad’s 1986 Honda Accord parked in the compound. ‘You guys stop! Please! Abeg!’

“As if on cue, they pulled up to me face to face in a semi circle. Head on, they started screaming outside the house. ‘Stop what?’

“Next thing, the five of them started flogging me. And I mean, with proper masquerade whips…. the ones with branches jutting out! I was angry. Frustrated. Pained.

“And I felt like a coward at that point because I couldn’t fight back. I just stood there willingly as two of them began to push me around. When they had their fill, they all moved to the house saying they would extend the same treatment to my mother and sisters as we weren’t welcome in the family house.

“That moment I made up my mind; nobody was ever going to kill my happiness again! I’m still a story waiting to be told!”