Fabiyi Defends Baba Ijesha After Child Announcement Draws Backlash
Nigerian actor and activist Yomi Fabiyi has publicly defended his colleague Olanrewaju “Baba Ijesha” James after the comedian announced the birth of his son, King Kagar, with fashion entrepreneur Abiodun Tokunbo, CEO of Luminee Couture. The announcement, made seven months after Baba Ijesha was released from prison following a conviction in a child sexual assault case, sparked widespread criticism online. Many Nigerians also expressed shock because neither Baba Ijesha nor Tokunbo had previously revealed their relationship.
Fabiyi: God Is No Longer Angry
Speaking during an Instagram Live session that went viral on Thursday, Fabiyi argued that the birth of Baba Ijesha’s child is evidence that God has forgiven him. “I’m angry because people are saying he left prison seven months ago. He could walk out today, start an affair tomorrow, get someone pregnant, and have a premature baby. You don’t even know if the child was premature. They’re questioning God,” Fabiyi said.
He added, “If God were still angry with Baba Ijesha, the woman wouldn’t have conceived at all. Luminee wouldn’t even know the truth about his case. Let me tell you this: among all those hypocritical actors, no one comes close to Baba Ijesha’s talent at his age. No one even matches his physique.”
Second Chance and Allegations of Injustice
Fabiyi maintained that anyone unhappy with Baba Ijesha’s release can sue the government. “Baba Ijesha will graduate from university soon. God doesn’t think like human beings; God might have decided this was Baba Ijesha’s second chance after all that happened. At the police station, the police wrote a statement and forced Baba Ijesha to sign it, despite his asking for CCTV evidence,” he claimed.
He also defended Tokunbo, saying, “Luminee knew she was a mother, and she knew Baba Ijesha before he was sentenced to prison, and she gave it a chance because she found true love in him. Everybody deserves a second chance; Baba Ijesha did not have carnal knowledge of the minor, and there was no evidence.”
Questioning Government and Fellow Actors
Fabiyi called on Nigerians to question the Lagos State government, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and others over the whereabouts of Damola Adekola, who was accused of sexually abusing a girl in the same case. “The second person in this case, Damola Adekola, asks why the Lagos State government, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Iyabo Ojo, and Princess aren’t talking about him or prosecuting him,” Fabiyi said.
He further questioned the government’s handling of celebrities accused of sexually assaulting minors, citing the case of Aralola, who was accused of abusing a boy but was supported after denying the allegations. “Take one woman, Aralola, they said she abused a boy. She cried on social media and said they had lied about her, and they supported her because she’s a woman. Also, look at Simi’s tweets; the Lagos government said there were no complaints. Imagine that,” Fabiyi added.
Backstory: Fabiyi’s Previous Support for Baba Ijesha
When Baba Ijesha was arrested, Fabiyi led a peaceful protest demanding his release, marching from Casino Cinema/Rowe Park to the Lagos Police Command in Panti, Yaba. After Baba Ijesha was sentenced, Fabiyi produced the controversial movie “Oko Iyabo,” in which he played a lawyer defending a client facing a rape allegation similar to the one against Baba Ijesha.
However, upon his release, Baba Ijesha alleged that Fabiyi betrayed him, despite Fabiyi’s claims of having sacrificed his career to save him from life imprisonment. As of press time, it was unclear whether the two had resolved their differences.
