Nigerian singer Simi has responded to criticism following the resurfacing of tweets she posted in 2012, saying her comments have been misinterpreted and do not suggest any wrongdoing.
Gatekeepers News reports that the controversy emerged after the singer, whose real name is Simisola Kosoko, spoke out about sexual assault, stating in a recent post that almost every woman she knows has experienced it at some point. While many social media users supported her stance, others questioned the claim, prompting renewed scrutiny of her past online activity.
As the debate intensified, some users on X circulated tweets she made more than a decade ago. In response, Simi shared a lengthy statement clarifying the context of the old posts.
“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.
She explained that the tweets were made in 2012 when she was 23 years old and not yet in the public eye. At the time, she said she was living at home, helping her mother run a daycare, and working on her music career.
According to her, the posts about children reflected everyday interactions and were never intended to be inappropriate.
“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 added.
Simi firmly rejected what she described as attempts to distort her words.
“I’m not here to make excuses because I don’t have anything to make excuses for. What I can’t let anyone do is twist my story to fit false narratives,” she said.
She acknowledged that she may not have anticipated that old posts could later be reinterpreted, particularly as a public figure.
“I was not famous, so maybe if I was, I would have understood that anything is open to whatever interpretation including being used falsely by a faceless mob,” she wrote.
The singer stressed that she has never engaged in inappropriate conduct and has always been expressive online, including about people she admires.
Simi also revealed that her team has begun deleting some of the old tweets due to the sensitivity of the situation for her family, although she initially opposed removing them.
“My team has been deleting some of my tweets because of how sensitive it is for my family. To be honest, I did not want to,” she wrote.
Reaffirming her position on sexual violence, she maintained that her advocacy long predates her fame.
“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,” she stated.
She concluded by standing by her earlier comments: “I’ve never claimed to be perfect. I’ve never claimed to know everything. I said stop raping women. I stand by it.”
