Founder of the Tonia Bruised But Not Broken Rape Survivors Foundation, Anthonia Ojenagbon, has shared a deeply emotional account of how she was rescued from sexual abuse as a teenager through the intervention of a pastor.
According to a report by Punch on Saturday, August 30, 2025, Ojenagbon revealed that she endured molestation at the hands of her uncle while living with him in Lagos. She recounted that the abuse began one night while she was asleep, leaving her confused and unsure of how to seek help.
“I didn’t know I could tell anyone. I thought it was something I had to keep inside,” she said, describing the silence and fear that surrounded her ordeal.
Her turning point came when a neighbor invited her to attend a church service. During that gathering, she said, the pastor suddenly looked at her and revealed details of her situation—details she had never spoken about to anyone.
“The pastor told me, ‘Your uncle is molesting you, and you don’t know what to do,’” Ojenagbon recalled. “I broke down crying because it was true, but I had never told anybody.”
The pastor, she explained, offered her practical advice on how to resist further abuse. He encouraged her to scream loudly if her uncle attempted to touch her again so that his wife would hear and intervene.
That very night, Ojenagbon said, her uncle once again tried to molest her. This time, she shouted with all her strength, waking others in the house. Embarrassed and caught off guard, the uncle stopped and walked away.
However, the nightmare was not over. The following morning, Ojenagbon said her uncle, who was a serving police officer at the time, confronted her with a chilling threat.
“He showed me his gun and warned me never to tell anyone,” she revealed. “It was terrifying, but at least the abuse stopped after that night.”
Ojenagbon’s testimony highlights the silent struggles many victims of child sexual abuse face in Nigeria, where stigma, fear of retaliation, and lack of support systems often keep survivors from speaking out.
Her foundation, Tonia Bruised But Not Broken, was later established to give voice and support to women and children who have gone through similar traumatic experiences.
She emphasized that one of the biggest challenges survivors face is not knowing whom to trust or where to seek help.
“That is why we need to create safe spaces, especially within families and communities, where children feel protected and heard,” she said.
Ojenagbon’s story has since resonated with many Nigerians online, sparking fresh discussions on the role of religious leaders, family structures, and civil society in addressing sexual violence.
Advocacy groups have also called for stronger enforcement of child protection laws, stressing that abuse within households remains one of the most underreported crimes.
Through her foundation, Ojenagbon continues to campaign for awareness, counseling, and justice for victims of sexual violence, using her personal experience as a beacon of hope and resilience.
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