Documentary Filmmaker Faces Threats and Attacks After Releasing Groundbreaking Film on Rape, “IFIPA”
Kolawole, a multi-nominated filmmaker known for tackling difficult truths, began the film as a mission to help the survivor share her story and spark a national conversation around justice, trauma, and silence. But since its release, the fallout has been severe and life-threatening.
“I created IFIPA to raise awareness, not to become a victim myself,” Kolawole says. “But the moment the film went public, my life changed forever.”
Shortly after the documentary’s release, the family of the man who was killed the abuser began targeting Kolawole, blaming him for disgracing their name and ‘re-opening wounds.’ He was physically attacked twice in Ibadan and was forced to relocate houses before finally fleeing the city for Lagos.
But the threats followed him.
In early 2025, Kolawole traveled to the United States in search of peace and possibly a new start. But amid tougher immigration conditions under the new government, securing legal stay or protection became impossible. With no safe options abroad, he returned to Nigeria only for the threats to evolve.
“When I came back, the attacks moved from my physical safety to my digital life especially my YouTube. They began flooding the documentary with hate, threats, and attempts to report my account.”
“They found me again in Lagos. I kept moving, changing locations, avoiding public spaces in Nigeria. I thought I could outrun this, but the danger kept growing.”
Adding to his trauma, Kolawole’s bisexual identity was exposed by his wife, who discovered it during their marital crisis and made it public. In a society where same-sex relationships are criminalized, this revelation has become another weapon used by his enemies to try and silence him permanently including attempts to use his identity against him legally.
“Now, it’s not just about IFIPA. It’s about everything I am my work, my truth, my identity. They want to bury me spiritually, socially, and legally.”
Kolawole is now living in a state of constant vigilance persecuted for speaking truth through film, betrayed in his personal life, and hunted by those who fear the stories he tells.
A Call for Protection and Solidarity
Kolawole is calling on:
• The international film and creative community
• Human rights organizations
• LGBTQ+ rights defenders
• Legal advocacy groups
…to stand with him in this fight for truth, safety, and the right to exist as a storyteller and as a human being.
“This isn’t just my story. It’s the story of every voice they’ve tried to silence. I may be hunted, but I refuse to be hidden.”
About Babatunde ‘Director Kay’ Kolawole
Babatunde is a Nigerian filmmaker and creative director with over 15 years of experience in documentary filmmaking. His notable works include The Weight of Water, Silent Hands, and Evolution of Adire, all of which center on resilience, identity, and unheard voices. His films have earned recognition from international film festivals across Africa, Europe, and the U.S.
