“I’m Still Traumatised”: Jide Awobona Breaks Silence After Backlash Over Deleted Insecurity Video
- Nollywood actor Jide Awobona opened up about the emotional toll of a deleted video and revealed why he chose to remove it
- The actor stressed that people respond to pain differently and that Nigerians should show more empathy to one another
- Awobona shared personal experiences with crime and explained why insecurity remains a deeply personal issue that continues to affect him years later
Nollywood actor Jide Awobona has finally addressed the backlash that followed a video he shared about Nigeria’s insecurity.
The actor explained that he pulled down the video because he was overwhelmed, vulnerable, and deeply emotional about the realities affecting citizens across the country.
Source: Instagram
In a lengthy post on his Instagram page on May 31, Jide Awobona noted that many people judged his reaction without understanding the personal struggles he carries behind the scenes.
He explained that he decided to remove the video because the country's insecurity challenges had affected him emotionally.
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"Behind many smiles are pains you may never see. That is why we must be careful not to judge a book by its cover," he wrote.
Why Jide Awobona spoke out
Awobona said this was not the first time he had spoken about insecurity in Nigeria.
He recalled making several posts about the children and teachers kidnapped in Oyo and said he had consistently shown concern whenever tragedy struck.
The actor also revealed that he had personally experienced crime after being robbed. He said these experiences helped him understand the pain, frustration and anger many Nigerians currently feel.
For that reason, he appealed to Nigerians not to attack one another over differing reactions to national tragedies.
"This is not the time to attack fellow Nigerians. This is not the time to tell others how they should react to tragedy, loss, fear, or frustration," he stated.
Source: Instagram
Jide Awobona disclosed that he received more than a million comments across his social media platforms after posting the video.
According to him, many people expressed anger and frustration, while some even wished that public figures would become victims themselves.
Despite the criticism, the actor said he understood that much of the reaction came from pain and disappointment.
The actor also argued that public figures are often expected to stop living normal lives whenever national challenges occur, explaining that celebrities are human beings who also experience grief, fear and emotional struggles.
Reflecting on past national tragedies, Jide Awobona said he is still traumatised by the Chibok girls incident from years ago, but is trying to distract himself with work and other activities to maintain sanity.
"A lot of us have forgotten about the Chibok girls, I haven’t, I’m still traumatized, trying to distract myself with work and other activities to be sane at least."
Read the full post below:
Reactions trail Jide Awobona's message
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of netizens below:
The reactions showed a mix of criticism, support and concern.
@aliuawe:
“But Seyi Tinubu was at Ojude Oba with you guys jubilating and celebrating, why can’t you guys use that opportunity to speak some sense into him to talk to his father...”
@qudroh_97:
“Oh please get your pity party self inside. You were smiling all through ojude oba and dancing where was this before you went there.”
@saikijoyce:
“I just saw you all glammed up pictures during ojude oba. Pleeeeaaassseeee say something else.”
@iamdecorum:
“You’ve literally spoken well sir 🤔”
@alade838:
“Honestly, Am having a sleepless night over it..😢…”
@wumiobe:
“We still went to Ojude Oba anyways...When we are supposed to turn the ojude Oba to a protest ground... Yoruba ronu!”
Jide Awobona defends his female movie role
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Jide Awobona sparked a major online conversation in 2025 after transforming into a woman for his advocacy film titled Rise With Me.
The filmmaker faced heavy criticism from some netizens who felt a female actor should have played the challenging character.
Jide Awobona dismissed the negative comments and noted that playing the gender-crossing role gave him an opportunity to showcase his wide acting range.
Source: Legit.ng
