Posted by By Sun News Publishing on
The arrest last week of popular Yoruba movie actress, Hassanat Taiwo Akinwande (popularly known as Yetunde Wunmi), for drug trafficking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos may have put paid to her ambition of going to Mecca for pilgrimage.
The arrest last week of popular Yoruba movie actress, Hassanat Taiwo Akinwande (popularly known as Yetunde Wunmi), for drug trafficking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos may have put paid to her ambition of going to Mecca for pilgrimage.
A source close to the actress disclosed to Sunday Sun midweek that she was planning to embark on holy pilgrimage to Mecca later in the year.
'I am sure that this lady was pushed into this by the devil. She is not the kind of person that would do a thing like this. She was planning to go to Mecca this year. The plan was that after her return, she would go to perform the pilgrimage."
Wunmi's planned trip to the holy city may have to wait a little longer as she is still finding it hard to explain to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) how she came about close to 100 wraps of cocaine inside her bowel.
Sources disclosed that eagle-eyed NDLEA officials arrested Wunmi, as she was about to board a Virgin flight enroute London. She was said to have excreted 92 wraps of the drug few hours after her arrest.
Confirming her arrest, the Public Relations Officer of NDLEA, Jonah Achema, described Wunmi's action as shameful. Achema said she was arrested at the airport with wraps of ingested drugs.
He revealed that the NDLEA is working on her to confess who her baron is. 'It is shameful indeed. We are still working to find out who her baron is, or if she is the boss herself."
He would, however, refuse to comment on the total numbers of wraps that she has excreted. He disclosed that investigations into the matter are continuing and that she would be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.
Like a bad orphan, Wunmi's colleagues in the Association of Theater Practitioners Association of Nigeria (ANTP) are still finding it hard to come to terms with the shameful act.
They have however, washed their hands off her case. A source at the Lagos secretariat of the association told Sunday Sun that she was suspended from the association few hours after the story of her arrest hit town.
'You know we won't condone such a thing. She has been placed on indefinite suspension."
Among her colleagues, mum is the word. None was willing to speak on the matter.
A top actor, who pleaded anonymity lamented Wunmi's fate. He said she was regarded as one of the few responsible women in the industry.
This is a serious matter. Look at this woman who all of us regard as one of the most responsible. This is highly regrettable."
Wunmi's arrest may not come to some as a surprise. For long, rumours about the arrest of artistes for drug offences have been rife. Though on each occasion such artistes have come out to deny such allegations.
However, one question that is bothering the minds of stakeholders of the industry is how Wunmi got involved. In the industry where you assume star status if dare to get involved in a scandal, Wunmi remained one of the very few whose record and character could hardly be faulted.
A devout Muslim, Wunmi carried herself with a touch of class and humility that earned her the respect of both her colleagues and movie watchers. Wunmi started her career in the 80s with the popular television drama, Feyikogbon. She then moved on to home video few years ago when she joined the Odunfa Cacaus, comprising Ogogo, Yinka Quadri and several others.
In the course of her career, Wunmi has taken up several roles. She has been a mother, sister in-law among several others, never has she been cast in the role of a drug courier.