‘People thought I was killed in Saudi’ — Sola Sobowale revisits drug trafficking rumour

Sola Sobowale, the Nigerian actress, has revisited the rumours surrounding her alleged arrest for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia.

In the recent episode of the ‘King of Talk’ podcast with Teju Babyface, the 58-year-old film star recalled how several negative reports were published about her in Nigeria after she relocated to the United Kingdom to do menial jobs.

The actress said one of such reports was that she was killed in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking.

She said lots of people were shocked to see her alive when she decided to return to Nigeria.

“The worst of the rumours I heard about me was when they said Sola Sobowale had been killed in Saudi Arabia. That I carried cocaine,” she said.

“It was written here in Nigeria. That I was arrested in Saudi Arabia. That there, they amputated my leg and my hand. And I said to them that I am a star in Nigeria and that they should kill me.

“So when I now got to Nigeria, at the airport, they said ‘Sola Sobowale is dead’. I said do you believe in abracadabra? I said I am alive. I have never been to Saudi Arabia.

“I do not even know where it is on the map. So many negative things. But to God be the glory. God has compensated me.”

In 2022, Sobowale recalled how she left Nigeria to do menial jobs to cater to her children who were schooling in the UK.

The movie star also recounted how she left her mouthwatering acting job, which was fetching her over N5 million within months — during the early 2000s — for menial jobs in England.

She said while in the UK, she worked multiple “7.5 pounds per hour” jobs like cleaning, cooking, and mopping office floors to make ends meet.

Speaking with Teju, Sobowale said some people who knew her were surprised that she left acting in Nigeria to work as a carer in the UK.

“It was confusing because my tag read ‘Olu’. Because I did not put Olusola. Especially one of the top Ogas looked at me and said ‘have I met you before’ and I said no,” she said.

“Then he looked at me and walked away. After I saw him in the office, I went there and asked may I know you sir and he said his name is Seye Fadipe. And I said yes, you have met me before. I said my name is Sola Sobowale. You met me on the television.

“He looked at me and said ‘are you crazy?’ I said I am not crazy. He asked what are you doing? You are up there in Nigeria. But there was something better than that. My future. My children are my future. There will be a time when the energy that Sola Sobowale will no longer be there. Then it is what you sow that you reap.

“At that time, Sola Sobowale was baba carer. Carer that there was nothing you will not do. Not senior carer or team leader. You will wash. You will carry. You will clean. You will do everything. That was what I was doing. The following week, my name was called to go to college and register.”

Sola is married to Oludotun Sobowale. The couple has five children together.