Rapists should be castrated, says Toyin Adegbola

Toyin Adegbola, a Nollywood star, has recommended castration as an appropriate punishment to address the recent rise in spate of rape cases in Nigeria.

The veteran actress, 59, spoke on the subject on Tuesday when she featured on ‘Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio,’ a Space FM Ibadan’s programme, anchored by Olayinka Agboola.

Conversations about rape have dominated social discourse since after Vera Omozuwa, a student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), died after she was attacked and raped while studying in church in Edo.

On probable solutions to the menace, Adegbola also stressed the need for parents to establish a closer relationship with children, particularly the girls, without shying away from sex education.

Making an analogy of herself, the thespian also highlighted the need to prioritise children as her reason for refusing to get married again since her husband’s demise more than 20 years ago.

The actress also spoke about her hiatus from the film space. She attributed her seeming absence to growth, explaining that she now carefully selects movie roles.

When quizzed about her stage name ‘Ajoke Ashewo to re Mecca’, which readily evokes practices pertaining to prostitution, the Adegbola explained that she got it from a role she acted in a film.

“There was a time I went to buy some things at Dugbe Market in Ibadan and a particular woman started shouting ‘Ashewo’, you know,” she said while recounting an experience with a fan.

“It was so embarrassing. I found it offensive initially but I just had to get used to it eventually. Besides, this is what I’m getting paid for.”

Adegbola’s stance comes after lawmakers at the house of representatives voted against castration of rape convicts in a punitive measure suggested by James Faleke from Lagos state.