Popular journalist and blogger, Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo, who just breathed air of freedom, is no doubt restarting a new life after spending 81 days in prison.
Kemi, who runs an investigative online news magazine, HNNAfrica, we recall, was picked up by the police at her Ibadan, Oyo State residence on March 14, 2017, for allegedly libeling a Port Harcourt, Rivers State based Pentecostal Pastor, David Ibiyeomie. She was incarcerated alongside a Port Harcourt based male blogger who reportedly lifted the said report and published on his own news blog.
Meanwhile, reliable sources have hinted this magazine that Kemi was treated for poisoning two days after she returned to her base in Ibadan.
About a week after she was arrested, this magazine was informed that Kemi’s mother, Mrs. Funlayo Olunloyo, was very worried about her wellbeing, particularly because she feared the controversy that greeted her alleged offence could push fifth columnists to harm her while in detention. This reporter was informed by a member of the Olunloyos that the aged mother who is a former first lady of Oyo State, told Kemi’s father and other close family members that she feared for her daughter’s life in the hands of the authorities because ‘the noise has been much about her’.
As soon as she returned to Ibadan, sources said, Kemi reportedly contacted her family doctor for treatment. Although, no symptoms of poisoning were diagnosed and no serious signs of sickness discovered, according to our sources, she had to go for the tests on the recommendation of her mother.
In the same vein, sources said that Kemi actually made use of her prison experience for the day she would be released. Instead of dwelling on the indignity of the eleven weeks detention, she reportedly worked to educate herself more about life, and God, while the experience also afforded her to build more support networks.
Kemi refused to reply when this reporter reached her for comments.
-Akin Alade
