Nigerian singer Simisola Kosoko, popularly known as Simi, has broken her silence after old tweets from 2012 resurfaced online, sparking debate across social media.
The Duduke hitmaker found herself at the centre of controversy after stating that almost every woman she knows has experienced sexual assault, reigniting conversations about rape culture and victim-blaming. As the online storm grew, critics began digging into her digital past.
Among the resurfaced posts was a now-deleted tweet in which she referred to a four-year-old boy named David, describing him as having a “crush” on her. The comment divided opinion, with some defending it as harmless, while others questioned its appropriateness.
Backlash intensified after Simi weighed in on rape allegations involving a young woman known as Abigail Nsuka, or Mirabel. At the time, Simi suggested the accuser should not face arrest for falsely claiming rape, a stance that angered netizens. She later apologised for her remarks.
As criticism mounted, Simi took to social media to clarify, insisting her decade-old tweets were being twisted to fit “false narratives.”
“I haven’t been on Twitter today — but someone brought a few of my old tweets to my attention and I can’t not address it,” she wrote.
Simi explained that in 2012 she was 23, living at her mother’s daycare centre while trying to build her music career. She often tweeted about everyday life, including funny moments involving children.
“Kids can be mischievous. If a child did something I found funny, I tweeted about it. Kids are cute and lovable. I want to hug, kiss and cuddle them. I tweet about it. Nothing I tweeted was from perversion,” she said.
She added that she was not famous then and did not expect her old posts to be scrutinised by what she called a “faceless mob.”
“I’ve never been depraved in my life… I wasn’t trying to hide it, because I don’t have anything to hide,” she said, noting that while her team deleted some tweets for family sensitivity, she personally did not want them removed.
The mother of one also reaffirmed her stance against sexual violence.
“I have always spoken against rape and sexual assault even before you knew I existed. It’s not a costume I’m wearing, it’s who I am… I said stop raping women. I stand by it.”