"I'm Not a Pedophile or Rapist": Baba Ijesha Speaks in First Interview Since Prison Release on Biola Adebayo's Platform

On March 22, 2026, Yoruba Nollywood actor Olarenwaju James Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, gave his first in-depth interview since his release from Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos. The conversation aired on actress and media personality Biola Adebayo's Talk to B podcast, Episode 201, on her YouTube channel Biola Adebayo Ent.

Baba Ijesha repeatedly denied the charges that led to his conviction, saying, "I am not a pedophile. I am not a rapist, and I will never be." He insisted the April 2021 incident was a setup and accused the complainant, referred to as Princess, of betrayal, saying she "knows the truth." He also pointed to past interactions including that actress Iyabo Ojo once left her children in his custody when they were younger as a measure of his character.

Describing his time in prison as traumatic, he spoke of deteriorating health, poor conditions and personal losses, notably the death of his father while he was incarcerated, which he called his most painful moment. Since his release in mid-November 2025, he has posted a video and a song narrating his side and remained relatively low-key until this sit-down.

The background of the case was reiterated during the interview. Baba Ijesha was convicted in July 2022 by the Ikeja Special Offences Court after videos surfaced showing inappropriate acts involving a minor. He was arrested in 2021 and served roughly three-plus years before his November 14/15, 2025 release, which was confirmed by the Nigerian Correctional Service. There has been no report of a full acquittal; some accounts say his term was reduced or adjusted, possibly through appeals or time served.

The interview sparked immediate backlash on X, with many users criticizing Biola Adebayo for giving him a platform. Comments included questions such as, "If the girl was her daughter, would she want to hear his side?" and calls that the sit-down was insensitive given the conviction. Other posts circulated clips from the original case and questioned his denials in light of viral evidence.

Episode 201 of Talk to B is now live on Biola Adebayo Ent. The interview appears to be Baba Ijesha's first major public effort to address the case directly since his release.