On this episode of #WithChude, actor and content creator, Debo Adebowale, popularly known as Mr. Macaroni, shared his harrowing experience with the Lagos police during the #OccupyLekkiTollGate protest in 2021. Arrested under the pretense of violating COVID-19 protocols, Mr. Macaroni faced unimaginable treatment that left him shaken but ultimately fearless.
Recalling the traumatic events, he described how he was “stripped naked and molested” by police officers who seemed to revel in his suffering. However, this brutal experience ignited a newfound determination within him to advocate for those who feel powerless.
“It was after that experience that all the fear in me disappeared. That is the twist. I wondered how that happened. Before that moment, I used to be afraid. I felt these people, we know them, and they can just come in and kill somebody,” Mr. Macaroni said.
“After these guys tortured me, I saw the hate in their eyes and how angry they were. They did all they could, and I am sure if I hadn’t been released, they could have done more. At that moment, I said, ‘So this is it? Now we are back.’”
Watch the interview below