Nollywood actress and scriptwriter Miriam Ogbonna has addressed the backlash that followed her March 23 X (formerly Twitter) thread in which she argued for better compensation for sex workers. In a new interview with Saturday Beats, Ogbonna clarified that her remarks were never an endorsement of the profession but a pointed critique of societal double standards.
The actress explained her original position with clarity.
“As much as we frown at certain things, it won’t make them stop, and stopping also starts with us. In the case of prostitution, if there is no patronage, these girls will find other means of livelihood. But when we come online to criticise them, while some men secretly patronise them, to what end?”
She described the core of her message as a direct challenge to people living in denial of the culture that enables and encourages sex work.
“My message was simply to call out hypocrisy. Since some men won’t stop patronising them, they might as well pay them well, because their job is not an easy one.”
This latest interview serves as a follow-up to the viral thread that first drew widespread attention. In her original post, Ogbonna had written that the physical toll of the work made higher rates justified and that demand from men keeps the industry alive.
Read “Prostitutes Deserve More Pay” – Miriam Ogbonna Sparks Debate
Reacting to the criticism that followed her comments, she pointed to what she sees as performative morality online.
“Social media is filled with self-righteous people who do the worst things in the dark. Everyone claims to be a saint online.”
Beyond the controversy, Ogbonna painted a picture of her own character.
“I’m a family-oriented, God-fearing, simple and well-brought-up woman who will speak the truth, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes people feel. I’m working towards building a legacy that stands on uncomfortable truths and conversations society avoids; one that shows a woman can rise to the top through hard work, perseverance, and talent.”
The fresh comments have kept the conversation alive, with many online users continuing to debate the balance between calling out uncomfortable realities and the boundaries of public discourse.