Actress explains what makes "Alter Ego" unique

chibumga izuzu

June 21, 2017 2:33 PM

"in Africa, it's always a taboo to say 'uncle, somebody touched me.' They will practically ask you one million questions," Omotola Jalade Ekeinde.

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde on set of "Alter Ego"

On Wednesday, June 21, 2017, during a press conference,

According to the actress who is making her comeback to the industry after three years with the movie, "Alter Ego" is the first movie to truly address PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

"We don't talk about that in Nigeria, so, when you see someone that is mentally traumatized, the first thing that comes to your mind is 'this person is crazy," the actress said.

"We don't talk about depression in Nigeria. We don't talk about how it affects children, especially children that have been abused.

When you ask a lot of adults, even a lot of people in this room, you might find out that some people have been abused as children. And if we want to tell ourselves the truth, how many of us were actually able to tell our parents about this?

In Africa, it's always a taboo to say 'uncle, somebody touched me.' They will practically ask you one million questions ' 'What did you say to him? How were you sitting? What were you wearing? As if it's your fault, you become the victim."

According to the actress, "Alter Ego" sets out to address how sexual abuse affects victims as kids and as adults.

"So, we want to start addressing this, not only how it affects children psychologically at that age, but even as adults.

"Sometimes, you see people as adults behave in a certain way, but because we have not diagnosed this problem - because in Africa, you are either just crazy and should go to Yaba Left, but we don't think about the fact that people actually have psychological trauma and that PTSD actually affect Africans. We think it's an Oyibo disease."

"So, I think that's what "Alter Ego" is trying to do and I hope no other movie has done it."

Directed by Moses Inwang and produced by Esther Eyibio, the movie also features Wale Ojo, Kunle Remi, Jide Kosoko and Tina Mba.

"Alter Ego" debuts on July 21, 2017.

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