British DJ’s Lagos high life ends amid rape charges

In the pulsating heart of Lagos, where Afrobeats rhythms collide with global hip-hop beats under neon lights and government-backed spectacles, British Disk Jockey, Tim Westwood, has long found a second act.

The 68-year-old former BBC Radio 1 icon, once a kingmaker in the United Kingdom’s urban music scene, has been spinning records at high-profile events and rubbing shoulders with Nigerian superstars, even appearing at state-sponsored carnivals.

But that glamorous exile has now ended.

Westwood faces charges of rape, alongside counts of indecent and sexual assaults.

The charges were brought by London’s Metropolitan Police in a case spanning decades of alleged abuse.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, the charges relate to incidents that allegedly occurred between 1983 and 2016, when Westwood was at the height of his career hosting shows on BBC Radio 1 and Capital Xtra.

Those shows introduced British audiences to artists such as Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, and Nigerian stars Wizkid and D’Banj during their rise to fame.

His alleged victims include girls as young as 17, according to earlier investigations by the BBC and The Guardian, which first aired the claims in 2022.

Westwood, who has consistently denied the allegations, calling them “false,” is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 11.

The allegations

Between 1995 and 1996, Westwood allegedly raped the first teenager in London.

Between 2000 and 2001, another female, aged between 17 and 18, was allegedly raped and indecently assaulted in London.

In 2010, a woman in her 20s was allegedly raped by the suspect in London, while another woman, also in her 20s, was allegedly sexually assaulted in Stroud.

In 2016, a woman in her 20s was allegedly sexually assaulted in the Finchley area of London.

In 2022, a report revealed that 18 women had accused Westwood of behaving in a sexually inappropriate manner, including unwanted touching, in incidents said to have occurred between 1992 and 2017.

Meanwhile, Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy of the Metropolitan Police called for more witnesses to come forward, saying, “It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature.”

BBC apologies

In February 2025, the BBC Board apologised over “missed opportunities” to tackle “bullying and misogynistic behaviour” by the former employee.

The broadcaster said it became aware of Westwood’s conduct after it was published by an independent outlet, which highlighted a series of incidents and allegations that amounted to a “considerable body of evidence” the BBC failed to investigate properly.

“The board also wants to take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of the entire BBC to anyone impacted by what the review has found,” it added in a statement

Westwood parties in Lagos, Oyo

While the UK justice system was closing in on the celebrity DJ, Westwood crossed over to Africa.

An online medium, West Africa Weekly, reported that he left the UK for Ghana, as seen in a 2022 post he shared on social media.

He later moved to Lagos, where he began headlining gigs that blended his old-school hip-hop flair with Afrobeats energy.

Between January and April 2024, he was seen in an upscale Lagos residence overlooking a private pool, trading turntables for TikTok tutorials on okra soup and chicken stew—a bizarre rebrand as a “food influencer” that some observers saw as a cynical bid to launder his image.

Videos showed him chopping onions with theatrical flair, captioned with hashtags like #NigerianCuisine.

In April 2024, posters announced his performance at the Oniru Private Beach, Victoria Island.

By December 2024, Westwood took the stage at a Lagos Island carnival, sharing the news on his now-inactive Instagram page.

Footage from the carnival captured him, baseball cap tilted low, hyping the crowd with mixes of Burna Boy and Drake.

He also claimed, in another Instagram post, to have performed at the 60th birthday celebration of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Sharing a photo of himself shaking hands with the governor, Westwood wrote, “Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, honoured to DJ at your 60th birthday luncheon at Isimi Lagos, Epe.”

In February 2025, the BBC reported that he held a gig in Oyo State.

By April 2025, he was spotted at industry nights, clubs, and events, and even hosted a live session with a local drill artist.

In September 2025, posters advertised him as host of the NPL S8 Grand Finals esports event in Oregun, Lagos.

Amid his constant public appearances, some Nigerians began to question his participation in local events.

An X user, Michael Morgan (@mikecmorgan), who expressed concern, tweeted, “Tim Westwood has been interviewed four times under police caution after sexual misconduct allegations. Concerned, I called the promoter, who confirmed this event is taking place. He seemed annoyed when I pressed him to answer some obvious questions and slammed the phone down.”

Another Nigerian, Ronke Lawal (@ronkelawal), wrote on August 20, 2025, “The way Tim Westwood has found refuge in Nigeria and continues to be embraced by Nigerians is actually disgusting. They value proximity to fame more than morals.”

However, as news of the formal charges against him rippled across social media on Thursday, his presence in Lagos gained serious public attention and was subject of debate.

Westwood’s social media accounts, once buzzing with Lagos shoutouts, suddenly went dark hours after the charges were announced.