I’ve forgiven the man who published my nude pictures – Anita Hogan

Nollywood actress Anita Hogan speaks her nude photograph scandal (see the photos below)

The nude picture scandal

Anita Hogan: The scandal happened some years back. Life is all about challenges. I learnt that one does not have to run away from anything that is thrown at him. If you run, the challenge will still be there. On the night that the pictures were published, four popular actors came to my house with a car and said I should pack my things and go to Ghana. They said I should stay there until the crisis died down. But I told them I wasn’t going to run. I didn’t do anything wrong, so why should I run? I didn’t kill anybody. I am not a criminal. Many politicians are stealing our money and making a mess of our country, yet they come out with bold faces. So why should I run? Somebody offended me and you want me to run? The actors were shocked with what I was saying. I told them I wasn’t going to run and that all I needed was their prayers. I don’t think I know where that courage came from, but I think my father’s spirit was with me. My father told me he loved me. I am tough. I had to practice what I preached. A lot of people thought that crisis would break my toughness. You can bring me down, but you can’t break me. You are not my creator. My life is in the hands of God. It was just God that gave me the strength.

How my family and friends reacted to the scandal

Anita Hogan: Many parents would have come up with a holier-than-thou attitude. But mine kept telling me how much they loved me. They stood by me. It was one of the things that kept me going. Some people said I married the man because of the scandal. Only time will tell. Immediately I became an actress, I knew I had forfeited my privacy. Time will tell if my marriage will be successful. I am only enjoying what I have in my hands. I am enjoying my family.

Sober reflection

Anita Hogan: I am human. Of course, sometimes I think of that scandal and I become very sad. It has become part of my personal history now. There is no way anybody will mention Anita Hogan and that scandal will not be remembered. But it depends on the angle you look at it. My children will hear it. Even my grandchildren will hear it and say their grandma is a ‘hot’ mama. What if I hadn’t married the same guy? We were just two people fooling around in our privacy. Should other people have told us how to sit down in our home? It depends on the angle you look at the scandal. That is why I want to write my book. Many people are psychologically and emotionally harassed. My own case was harassment from the pit of hell. Some people need encouragement. They are not as tough as I am. I want my book to touch people who are being harassed. No matter how much you have been pushed, you can get your life back.

Embarrassment

Anita Hogan: I don’t get embarrassed. If I am walking on the street and I don’t touch you or hit your car and you just stare at me, it is your business. Nigerians respect other people’s’ privacy. I was brought up to understand that stares will not tear your cloth. Embarrassment will not tear your cloth. It is good to live a perfect life, if you can achieve it. But if it doesn’t happen, there is nothing you can do but to move on with your life. I have forgiven the guy that published those pictures. In fact, I forgave him that first week. My pastor called and said I should forgive. He said I should just kneel down and say ‘I forgive him.’ I didn’t know how to do it. I thought it wasn’t going to be possible. But somehow, I did it. I have forgiven him.

Culled from Punch Newspaper.

Click here to see nude pics.