Nollywood actor and director Charles Inojie has opened up about what inspired him and actor Ali Nuhu to create the #MakeWeHalla movement against domestic violence.

In a recent interview with Wazobia FM, Mr Inojie noted that he wanted to use his platform to change the culture of silence around domestic violence, and he realised that the way to do it was to make a noise. 

He said, “When we all keep quiet, the abuser, perpetrator of this act of abuse seems confident to do more. But when we speak up and against the abuse without being violent, it sends a signal to the perpetrator that he should desist. This evokes what prompted myself and Ali to decide to join our voices for this matter. We thought about it and arrived at the fact that we all are guilty if we continue to keep quiet, and watch domestic abuse happen around us. “Make We Halla” is actually a call to action to everybody around to say “if you see something that is bad, speak out and do not keep quiet.”

Mr Ali Nuhu and Mr Inojie recently teamed up in a viral video, “Make We Halla,” that continued to make waves on social media. In the video, the two friends start banging on their plates in a restaurant in an attempt to call out the domestic violence they witness. Other patrons join in on the halla in a moving display of solidarity, and the violence stops. 

The two film stars have gone a step further to start the #MakeWeHalla challenge that has seen celebrities such as Wumi Toriola, Kiki Bakare, and Tosin Olaniyan, and many other fans jump on the #MakeWeHalla train and lend their voice.

Explaining the challenge during his interview, Mr Inojie said, “We’ve been overwhelmed by how much support we’ve seen in this movement. It just shows how much we need this conversation. People have spoken up, shared their stories, and most importantly, committed to “Halla” whenever they see domestic violence.” 

He noted, “The #MakeWeHalla challenge for everyone is very easy. Just go to Tiktok or Instagram. Almost everybody is now on Tiktok, almost everybody is on Instagram. Take your phone. It’s easy. No rules, just halla your way. Anyhow, you deem fit to add your voice in raising awareness against domestic violence is welcome. Halla, talk am. Or if you feel like “I am someone that is shy,’ you can go to the videos already uploaded -whether my own oo, or Ali’s own – you can duet. Just post with the hashtag #MakeWeHalla. And the beautiful thing is that joining in the challenge to create more awareness even gets you a reward. The best Halla video will collect brand new iphone 12. The hashtag is important so that we can see the video. The hashtag is #MakeWeHalla. If you like, tag Ali or tag myself and for the prize we have, the middle of May will be the finale.”

Asked about his motivations for “Make We Halla,” Mr Inojie recalled that an incident as a young man further changed his mindset about the need to always speak upo witnessing domestic violence.

He added, “By myself, as a little boy, I have seen one who, till today, lost one eye to domestic violence. That time, many of us could have done something in that same compound but we felt like we were not concerned about it, because they are a couple and they will sort themselves out. So, all of those things are what we refer to as silent bystanders, passive. People just say “Wetin concern me?” or ignore and move on with their lives and in little time, major damage would have been caused. This has led to several innocent children losing their mothers and some becoming orphans. Hence, we say no to domestic violence, it shouldn’t thrive in our midst or our society. Let’s see a way, a movement to call people to action saying don’t keep quiet when you see domestic violence, no matter where it happens, no matter who it happens to, speak out but not in a violent way. Let’s Make We Halla!.”