It was not until recently that cross-dressing and unconventional fashion were not easily accepted in Nigeria.
With Okuneye Olanrewaju (Bobrisky) and James Brown gaining social acceptance and approval as cross-dressers, famed media personality Denrele Edun, better known as Denrele, whose eccentric fashion style has put him in the spotlight for more than two decades, he is often hailed as having paved the way for them.
Typical of Denrele, he can never be caught without wearing stiletto or platform heeled boots and long flowing jackets, which he effortlessly flaunts in almost all his public appearances, a style that Nigerians have come to love. an agreement.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday at an event in Victoria Island, Lagos state, Denrele recounted the hardships he suffered during his early days of being perceived as a cross-dresser.
The 41-year-old media personality also spoke about some of the trials he faced growing up in Lagos in the late 1990s.
Denrele was born in Hamburg, Germany, to a Yoruba father and an Indian-Mauritian mother.
He is an only child and has two sisters.
He grew up in Germany and came to Nigeria when he was five years old, where he attended St Gregory’s College, Ikoyi and the University of Lagos.
obstacles
For a boy like Denrele, who is very expressive with his style from a very young age, surviving in Lagos was not an easy task.
“Back then, there was no acceptance. Unlike what we have now, with people on social media calling each other names and trolls of faceless identities, but back in my day, I had people harassing me on the streets of Lagos.”
Derenle’s eccentric fashion sense
“Every day was like another nightmare; you can imagine that I would be on a bus, and the people on the bus would park on the third continent bridge and throw me out of the bus just because of how I was dressed. So it was a direct confrontation, but I can’t understand that now.”
According to Denrele, the countless physical confrontations made him learn the art of self-defense.
He said he is a black belt in martial arts.
nigerian law
The House of Representatives is considering a bill to ban and criminalize cross-dressing in Nigeria.
The bill was first read on the House floor in April.
If passed into law, this bill could affect popular transvestites like Okuneye Olanrewaju, known as Bobrisky, and James Brown.
The 2013 Same-Sex Ban Bill was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan despite opposition from the international community, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Jonathan signed the bill into law on January 17, 2014.
Despite her heels, nails and hairstyle, Denrele said she doesn’t fit the identity of a cross-dresser.
However, Denrele noted that she began her style of dressing before the advent of the Internet, when she barely knew what the term “cross-dressing” implied.
“I was not labeled as such (transvestite) as I was known as a media personality, but when we move with the trends, they try to fit you as a transvestite, but that is not my narrative. I am a media personality who is expressive with her fashion,” she said.
Further explaining his stance, “I don’t think I’m mentally prepared for that because I’m still in tune with my masculinity and femininity.”
“I have my strong masculine side designed to take care of my feminine side; the juxtaposition of my personality is in sync.”
He said, “So you can’t put me in that cross-dressing box, but I have a more flamboyant and expressive personality.”
The multi-award winning entertainment personality described cross-dressing as an art and culture in fashion.
Career
Denrele, known for his fashion style and personality, has also dabbled in acting.
He began his television acting career at age eleven when he played a host/producer on ‘Kiddievision 101″ on NTA Network.
“I started my hustle long before the advent of the internet. Professionally, I started as a TV presenter in 1994. I was on SS1 at the time and I was in the NTA network show. It reflected the tribulations of working in a media house in Nigeria, so I learned the hard way. It was incredible.”
Derenle Edun
“When I started, I remembered that my first paycheck was N150 (one hundred and fifty naira), and later I worked my way up to become a main cast and earned N800 per episode.”
Politics
Speaking about the upcoming elections, Denrele encouraged young Nigerians to register for their Permanent Voter Card 3 (PVC) and participate in the upcoming elections.
Speaking about his preferred candidate, the media personality said he was endorsing Peter Obi, the Labor Party’s presidential candidate.
“I know everyone who’s running for the office of president and they’ve gotten a ticket, but I want something different. I want a different Nigeria that changes for the better, and right now I’m like Peter Obi; this is the man for the job. I’m obedient.” he said.