Simi’s Legal Counsel Speaks On Online Bullying, Pregnancy, Brands

The legal counsel to Nigerian singer Simi has disclosed that her team reviewed more than 5,000 tweets connected to an alleged harassment campaign targeting the music star and her husband, Adekunle Gold.

The disclosure was made by Nigerian lawyer and entertainment business executive Oyinkansola Fawehinmi, popularly known as Foza, during an appearance on the JayOnairLive programme. Fawehinmi condemned what she described as prolonged and coordinated bullying aimed at the singer.

“We went through over 5,000 tweets of sustained harassment. And the intention was to ensure that Simi becomes a shadow of herself,” Fawehinmi said.

She explained that the situation felt even more serious because Simi was pregnant at the time. The lawyer said she could not ignore attacks on her client while she was preparing to welcome a baby.

“And mind you, I’m dealing with someone here that has a baby on the way. I’m not going to sit down and let you do that to my clients. Nobody, even you, if you had a wife that’s about to give birth, you’re not going to allow that to happen,” she added.

Fawehinmi also addressed the legal difference between defamation and harassment. According to her, defamation may involve isolated false claims, while harassment often becomes a repeated and coordinated pattern over time. She noted that such attacks can affect celebrities in real life, including their businesses and endorsement deals.

“When things like this break out, the first thing is all the brands you’re working with start calling you. You start having to explain yourself,” she explained.

For public figures, she added, online conversations can quickly spill into their careers and personal safety.

The singer, whose full name is Simisola Kosoko, had earlier reacted after a 2012 tweet from her X handle resurfaced online, leading to intense criticism. The viral tweet, shared on March 14, 2012, referenced a four-year-old boy identified as David who had a crush on her. In the now-deleted tweet, Simi mentioned the child getting physically close, acting as though he wanted to kiss her, and resting his head on her lap, while she asked whether she should give him attention.

Separately, Simi also sparked reactions after criticising men who complain about not getting attention after their wives give birth. In a circulating video, she explained that people should focus on the mother’s recovery and the baby’s well-being, noting that women face intense physical and emotional stress during pregnancy and delivery. She added that many women undergo painful procedures, swelling, exhaustion, and sleepless nights, stressing that men should show empathy instead of demanding attention during such periods.