Bukola Oriola

Last updated
Bukola Oriola
Born1976 (age 4748)
Nigeria
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Activist, hair-braider, journalist
Years active1999-present
OrganizationImprisoned Show
Notable workImprisoned: The Travails of a Trafficked Victim
ChildrenSamuel Jacobs

Bukola Oriola (born 1976) is a Nigerian-American journalist. [1] She lives in Anoka County, Minnesota, [2] and has a son named Samuel Jacobs. [3] She spent six years as a journalist covering education in Nigeria while still living in that country. [4] In 2005, she came to the United States from Nigeria on a two-month work permit in order to cover a New York City meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. [5] She married a US citizen who prevented her from establishing interpersonal relationships with anyone other than himself. [6] He subjugated her to a life of unfree labour, confiscating all of her earnings. [7] She was imprisoned in her home in this manner for two years. [8] Bukola is a speaker, author, mentor, advocate, and entrepreneur. [9]

Publicity

She wrote and self-published a book Imprisoned: The Travails of a Trafficked Victim about her experiences with human trafficking. [10] In August 2013, she appeared on a discussion panel following a screening of the documentary film Not My Life at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs' Cowles Auditorium. [11] On December 16, 2015, she was appointed by President Barack Obama as a member of the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, [9] and was re-appointed to the same position by President Donald Trump in April, 2018. [12] Bukola won the Cadbury National Award for Education Reporters in 2005. [9] She started a non-profit organization known as "The Enitan Story" in August 2013 to advocate for victims and empower survivors of human trafficking. [9]

She is a fellow of the International Institute for Journalism, Germany. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gretchen Carlson</span> American broadcast journalist (born 1966)

Gretchen Elizabeth Carlson is an American broadcast journalist, writer, and television personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sex trafficking</span> Trade of sexual slaves

Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It has been called a form of modern slavery because of the way victims are forced into sexual acts non-consensually, in a form of sexual slavery. Perpetrators of the crime are called sex traffickers or pimps—people who manipulate victims to engage in various forms of commercial sex with paying customers. Sex traffickers use force, fraud, and coercion as they recruit, transport, and provide their victims as prostitutes. Sometimes victims are brought into a situation of dependency on their trafficker(s), financially or emotionally. Every aspect of sex trafficking is considered a crime, from acquisition to transportation and exploitation of victims. This includes any sexual exploitation of adults or minors, including child sex tourism (CST) and domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bukola Saraki</span> Nigerian politician (born 1952)

Abubakar Bukola SarakiMBBS is a Nigerian politician who served as the 13th president of the Nigerian Senate from 2015 to 2019. He previously served as the governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011; and was elected to the Senate in 2011, under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing the Kwara Central Senatorial District, and then re-elected in the 2015 general elections under the party of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Prostitution in Romania is not itself criminalized, although associated activities, such as procuring, are criminal offenses, and solicitation is a contravention punishable by fines.

Prostitution in Cameroon is illegal but tolerated, especially in urban and tourist areas. In the capital, Yaoundé the main area of prostitution is the neighbourhood of Mini Ferme. UNAIDS estimate there are 112,000 sex workers in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000</span> United States federal criminal legislation

The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) is a federal statute passed into law in 2000 by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Clinton. The law was later reauthorized by presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump. In addition to its applicability to US citizens, it has the ability to authorize protections for undocumented immigrants who are victims of severe forms of trafficking and violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funke Akindele</span> Nigerian actress and producer (born 1977)

Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele popularly known as Funke Akindele or Jenifa, is a Nigerian filmmaker, actress, director, producer and politician. Akindele starred in the sitcom I Need to Know from 1998 to 2002, and in 2009, she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. for her role in Jenifa, which brought her into fame. Akindele reprised the role in a 2015 television series adaption titled Jenifa's Diary, for which she was named the Best Actress in a Comedy at the 2016 and 2017 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards. Akindele won the same award in 2020 and 2022, making it her fifth win for the Best Actress in a Comedy category. Akindele is the most nominated actress/filmmaker at the AMVCA and currently owns six wins which makes her the actress with most wins. She is the second director to gross over a billion naira at the Nigeria box office and currently the Highest grossing Nigerian Director in Nigerian Box Office with a total Gross of over ₦2.9 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunitha Krishnan</span> Indian social activist

Sunitha Krishnan is an Indian social activist and chief functionary and co-founder of Prajwala, a non-governmental organization that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims into society. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joke Silva</span> Nigerian actress and director

Joke SilvaMFR is a Nigerian actress, director, and businesswoman.

Nigeria is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to trafficking in persons including forced labour and forced prostitution. The U.S. State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons placed the country in "Tier 2 Watchlist" in 2017. Trafficked people, particularly women and children, are recruited from within and outside the country's borders – for involuntary domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, street hawking, domestic servitude, mining, begging etc. Some are taken from Nigeria to other West and Central African countries, primarily Gabon, Cameroon, Ghana, Chad, Benin, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, and the Gambia, for the same purposes. Children from other West African states like Benin, Togo, and Ghana – where Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) rules allow for easy entry – are also forced to work in Nigeria, and some are subjected to hazardous jobs in Nigeria's granite mines. Europe, especially Italy and Russia, the Middle East and North Africa, are prime destinations for forced prostitution.Nigerians accounted for 21% of the 181,000 migrants that arrived in Italy through the Mediterranean in 2016 and about 21,000 Nigerian women and girls have been trafficked to Italy since 2015.

Human trafficking in the Ivory Coast refers to the practice of forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation which uses Côte d'Ivoire a source, transit, and destination country for women and children who are trafficked for these purposes. Trafficking within the country's borders is more prevalent, with victims primarily trafficked from the north of the country to the more economically prosperous south. Boys from Ghana, Mali, and Burkina Faso are subjected to forced labour in the agricultural sector, including on cocoa, coffee, pineapple, and rubber plantations; boys from Ghana are forced to labour in the mining sector; boys from Togo are forced to work in construction; and boys from Benin are forced to work in carpentry and construction. Girls recruited from Ghana, Togo, and Benin to work as domestic servants and street vendors often are subjected to conditions of forced labour. Women and girls are also recruited from Ghana and Nigeria to work as waitresses in restaurants and bars and are subsequently subjected to forced prostitution. Trafficked children often face harsh treatment and extreme working conditions.

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who has served as Senator for Sokoto South since 2023. He served as the governor of Sokoto State from 2015 to 2023. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, and served as the 12th Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria from 2011 to 2015.

<i>She Has a Name</i> 2009 Andrew Kooman play about human trafficking

She Has a Name is a play about human trafficking written by Andrew Kooman in 2009 as a single act and expanded to full length in 2010. It is about the trafficking of children into sexual slavery and was inspired by the deaths of 54 people in the Ranong human-trafficking incident. Kooman had previously published literature, but this was his first full-length play. The stage premiere of She Has a Name was directed by Stephen Waldschmidt in Calgary, Alberta in February 2011. From May to October 2012, She Has a Name toured across Canada. In conjunction with the tour, A Better World raised money to help women and children who had been trafficked in Thailand as part of the country's prostitution industry. The first performances of She Has a Name in the United States took place in Folsom, California in 2014 under the direction of Emma Eldridge, who was a 23-year-old college student at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiki Omeili</span> Nigerian actress

Nkiruka 'Kiki' Omeili is a Nigerian actress, best known for her role as Lovette in the TV series Lekki Wives. She is also known for her role as Blessing in the 2015 crime caper, Gbomo Gbomo Express alongside Gideon Okeke.

Prostitution in Benin is legal but related activities such as brothel keeping and benefiting from the prostitution of others are illegal. UNAIDS estimates there to be about 15,000 prostitutes in the country. Most of these are migrants from neighbouring countries, mainly Nigeria, Togo and Ghana. Only 15% of the prostitutes are Beninese. Prostitution occurs on the streets, in bars, restaurants, hotels and brothels. With advent of the smartphone, many prostitutes use apps to make arrangements with clients.

Prostitution in Mali is legal, but third party activities such as procuring are illegal. Prostitution is common in Malian cities. UNAIDS estimate there to be 35,900 prostitutes in the country. Prostitution is on the rise, many having turned to prostitution because of poverty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in the Philippines</span>

Crime is present in various forms in the Philippines, and remains a serious issue throughout the country. Illegal drug trade, human trafficking, arms trafficking, murder, corruption and domestic violence remain significant concerns.

Sheila White is an African-American anti–sex trafficking activist, and a former human trafficking victim herself, from The Bronx, New York City.

Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Nigeria.

References

  1. "Bukola". Imprisoned Show. 8 December 2012. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  2. Elyse Kaner (May 21, 2013). "Anoka County resident heads fundraiser for human trafficking victims". ECM Publishers . Archived from the original on August 17, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  3. Sharon Schmickle (August 12, 2013). "How saving $40 a month can protect from poverty and predatory lenders". MinnPost . Archived from the original on August 30, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  4. Jane Lightbourn (March 16, 2010). "Bukola Oriola tells her story April 10 at UMC". Hastings Star Gazette. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  5. Julie Buntjer (August 19, 2013). "Fighting to be free: Nigerian woman to speak on human trafficking in Worthington". Daily Globe. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  6. Nora Leinen (December 16, 2009). "Human trafficking in Minnesota". Twin Cities Daily Planet . Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  7. Allie Shah (March 31, 2011). "Trafficking victims share pain, healing through art". Star Tribune . Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  8. Elyse Kaner (May 15, 2013). "Anoka County resident heads fundraiser for human trafficking victims". Sun Focus. Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Meet Bukola Love Oriola - From a human trafficking victim to a member of the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking - Ventures Africa". Ventures Africa. 2015-12-21. Archived from the original on 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
  10. Kathy Magnuson (December 27, 2009). "Changemaker2009: Bukola Oriola". Twin Cities Daily Planet . Archived from the original on September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  11. "Not My Life: Human Trafficking, Globally and Locally" (PDF). Minnesota International Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  12. 1 2 "US-based Nigerian journalist, Bukola Oriola, Re-appointed US Council Member - THISDAYLIVE". THISDAYLIVE. 2018-04-15. Archived from the original on 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2018-05-24.