‘I didn’t come forward to hurt Colin’ – Jacobs

Iyah Jacobs’s August 23 Facebook post may have ended the political aspirations of Colin “Hitman” Graham, but it was not her intention to damage the radio personality in any way.

In fact, Jacobs says she made the post that she had been physically abused by Graham, so that Graham could “receive some sort of intervention.”

The Facebook disclosure could not have come at a worse time for Graham, who, on August 17, was elected to represent the New Democratic Party (NDP) in East St George by the constituency group.

After Jacobs’s disclosure, Graham admitted live on air to being an abuser, he was suspended from his job at Hot 97.1 FM, and withdrew from consideration as the NDP candidate.

Last Tuesday, Jacobs called into Hot 97.1 FM’s AM Mayhem show and said she has forgiven Graham, but she realizes that the timing of her post may have baffled a lot of persons.

“I didn’t make the post to do Colin any harm…honestly, the post was made for Colin to receive some sort of intervention, because attacking Colin isn’t going to deal with the issue; becoming political about it isn’t going to deal with the issue,” said Jacobs.

She said if Graham is making her post political, he has to know “what he is doing.”

“I can understand why the [Hot 97.1 FM] staff and a lot of persons in the public are crucifying me the way they are doing, because there were a lot of loopholes that are missing, a lot of information was not given and everybody had the right to speculate and I mean the way it came across, attack me, why not,” said Jacobs.

She said she is a firm believer in Christ and while she has failed in some things, she knows for a fact that the persons who are with her are more than who are against her.

Jacobs also used her call to the radio station to shut down allegations that she was paid to come clean about her and Graham’s tumultuous relationship. She said that she was in Barbados on vacation and she was not sent there by anyone.

“I came to Barbados for a vacation it wasn’t nothing political; Ralph (Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves) didn’t send me to CARIFESTA. I did go to CARIFESTA, because I am here for vacation; why not, it was the thing of the country, but I was here on vacation; all this was not premeditated; I wasn’t paid off any money,” Jacobs said.

She, however, noted jokingly that she would have been happy to be paid, because she has her nursing school fees to take care of.

“I mean this was not my attention (to hurt Graham); it happen and Colin needs help. I need help too, as well, but the root problem is that Colin really and truly needs help,” she stressed.

She said that at the moment, there is a lot of tension between her and Graham and while she is not denying her feelings for him, unless there is “forgiving and there is some sort of restoration, even a friendship will have to be put on hold.”

She added, “for now I will be supportive of Colin, but honestly, I really don’t know.” She said that similar to how the “truth took its time and played itself out,” the relationship may have to do the same.   

Jacobs noted that at one point in her and Graham’s love life, there was a lot of insecurity and accusations where friendly relationships were accused, “innocently or not.”

She also said while honesty is a good and beautiful thing, she would not advise people to be totally honest about their past because they will be judged by it and it can be used against them. Instead, she advised listeners to take everything to God in prayer.

Jacobs also encouraged persons who are being abused to be careful with whom they share their stories, because in her opinion, many people are nicely dressed and have qualifications to match, but they are no good.