Nigerian journalist Tobore Mit-Ovuorie says she’s ready to proceed to court over the adaption of her life story in EbonyLife film for Netflix, Òlòtūré. The journalist hinted at a looming legal battle between her and EbonyLife during an explosive interview with Pulse.

In the interview, Ovuorie shared she was led to go undercover and investigate human trafficking after she lost a friend to it.

“The investigation took place in 2013 but I would say the foundation to the investigation happened before 2013. Some years back, while I was still an undergraduate, I had a very close friend, Ifueko”,

 

“Suddenly, she disappeared from school and I later learned she was taken to Italy for s*x work. It was a rude shock to me because Ifueko was not that type of person. She was the type that when I would go see her, she would ask me what bible passage did you read today? How long did you pray?”

“Much more later, I got to learn from a classmate that Ifueko was back in Nigeria. I had to wait for my dad to come to see me in school, to give me my pocket money for the month. With that, I transported myself to Benin to go look for Ifueko. Unfortunately for me, by the time I located their house, it was her grave that I met”

This spurred her on to accept the offer of a South African journalist Evelyn Groenink to interview 7 trafficked girls. Ovuorie however put a spin to the offer and instead went undercover to investigate a trafficking ring.

According to the 40-year-old journalist, it resulted in different harrowing experiences. She was beaten, tortured, r***d, and even watched the beheading of two girls.

 

“To be candid, there are several memories. That which was published is only a minute part of my experiences. I deliberately didn’t put everything out because I uncovered certain things that led me to not release everything I had discovered during the investigation”

 

She says she’s still in therapy to fight the deep depression she slid into after the experience.

Also read:
-Òlòtūré Scandal: Journalist Accuse Producers Of “Stealing” Her Investigative Work 
-“Òlòtūré” Beams Spotlight On The World Of Human Trafficking
-Must See Looks From The Virtual Screening Of Nigerian Netflix Original, “Òlòtūré

Tobore Ovuorie says the makers of “Òlòtūré” only told her of the film after the screening. Additionally, even the snippet of the film she saw was entirely different from the actual work on Netflix.

“I recall it was May 29, 2019, that the executive producer of the movie called me. As at that time, I did not even know that they had done screening. How moral is that? How professional is that? They make a film about my life story without first getting in touch with me to get my permission”.

 

What an honour it was to cohost the premier of Òlòtūré with the extraordinary @MoAbudu. Òlòtūré is the best Nigerian film I’ve seen. It is hard-hitting and deeply touching. A story of #humantrafficking that must be told- and seen. Please watch it and act @UKinNigeria pic.twitter.com/cCBtbNIBqf

— Laure Beaufils (@LaureBeaufils) May 29, 2019

Recall that Ovuorie had first called out EbonyLife in October for making a film out of her investigative work. The report was published on Premium Times in 2014. She said Netflix had described the film as a work of fiction which was false.

‘Oloture’ does not closely resemble my work, It is a copy and paste of my work. Oloture is my life story. Whosoever claimed they wrote that script should be flogged”. she says during the interview.

Earlier I had sent a post on a @Netflix movie Òlòtūré claiming the journalist @DaughterOfMit wasn’t given due credit. Sadly, Tobore had sent me a text indicating others were taking credit for it. That was wrong. I have seen the end credit and her name was acknowledged. Apologies pic.twitter.com/i1gv4RmdxD

— sulaiman aledeh (@aledeh) October 12, 2020

Since then, Ovuorie says she’s been threatened by the producers with legal action. She however insists she’s going to court. The delta state born hopes that the case serves as a deterrent to others in the film industry.

 

 

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