Entertainment
More Troubles for Baba Ijesha As Minor Narrates How She Was Defiled with Car Key
The video of the 14-year-old minor allegedly defiled by a popular Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, also known as Baba Ijesha, was played at an Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday.
The video was a recording of the child forensic interview conducted on May 15 by Mrs Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode, a child expert and Executive Director of the Cece Yara Foundation.
The video was played during the cross-examination of Ajayi-Kayode by the defence counsel, Babatunde Ogala (SAN).
During the interview, the minor described the interaction she had with Baba Ijesha on April 19, when she met him at her foster mother’s house.
“He said, ‘You’re a smart young girl, my baby. Do you have a boyfriend? I said no, and he said since you do not have a boyfriend, now that you’re much more mature, you’re now mine; I am your boyfriend.’
“He said, ‘I used to teach you some things when you were small.’ I asked him what things so that I could record him with my phone.
“My phone was under the throw pillow because I thought he wanted to confess to what he did seven years ago, but I was unable to record him.
“He said, ‘Don’t you remember me and you used to play together; I used to teach you some things when you were small; me and you had a contract.’ I asked him what contract?
“He asked me to sit on his legs and I said no and he said, ‘You that when you were small, you were not afraid. Now you’re afraid,’” the minor said.
The minor then told Ajayi-Kayode that Baba Ijesha started touching her sexually and asked her to bring some water.
“When I went to the kitchen, he also followed me and it was at this point that my mother and the other men, the CCTV company staff, came in,” she said.
Earlier, the minor narrated to Ajayi-Kayode what transpired when the Nollywood actor allegedly defiled her seven years ago.
She said the first incident occurred when Baba Ijesha came to visit her sick foster mother when she was seven years old.
According to her, she was sitting on the carpet watching cartoons while he sat on the couch.
She said Baba Ijesha asked her to remove her underwear, while he brought out his private parts and asked her to wriggle her waist while sitting on his laps.
“My concentration was on the cartoon I was watching; I couldn’t remember how long I was on his laps before I felt some wetness.
“He cleaned himself with a handkerchief and asked me to clean myself up and I went to the bathroom to clean myself up with a towel,” she said.
The minor said Baba Ijesha told her not to tell anyone about what transpired between them.
She told Ajayi-Kayode that the next day, Baba Ijesha came to the house with some fruits for her foster mother and she was asked to pick up the fruits from his car.
“The car was parked at a T-junction and there was a wall and a gutter there; no one was on the other side.
“The fruits were on the back seat; he opened the door in front and asked me to take the fruits.
“When I stretched to pick the fruits from the back seat, he put the car key into my private parts, and at the same time, he was trying to kiss me. After this incident, I did not see him again until seven years later,” she said.
During the interview, the child expert gave the minor male and female dolls to depict how the defendant allegedly molested her seven years ago.
Using the dolls for narration, the survivor described where the defendant sat and invited her to sit on his laps.
The child gave a demonstration of how the molestation happened with the observation of Ajayi-Kayode.
Under cross-examination by the lead defence team, Mrs Ajayi-Kayode told the court that she was a qualified lawyer and certified child forensic expert trained abroad.
She also said she was not a child advocate but a child forensic expert who had received training on child psychology and development.
She maintained that the brain of the minor was well developed to recall events that took place seven years ago, adding that the minor gave a good account of what happened to her seven years ago without interference.
When asked how she was able to determine if the minor was telling the truth, she said she only asked her open-ended questions.
Actress and comedienne, Damilola Adekoya, also known as Princess, the foster mother of the minor, and Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, were present in court to observe the proceedings.
Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has said she is no longer interested in getting married again following her separation from her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, but remains determined to have a daughter.
The actress made the remarks during a livestream session with TikToker Jarvis at her Children’s Day carnival held in Asaba, Delta State.
Speaking on her current outlook on relationships and motherhood, Daniels said she has mentally moved away from the idea of marriage.
“But for some reason, I’ve checked my mind out of getting married. I’m yet to have a girl. And I must have a girl,” she said.
The mother of two explained that her desire for a daughter comes from what she described as the unique emotional bond between mothers and female children.
“I feel like motherhood starts better. Like you would understand motherhood when you have a girl child,” she said.
“So, having boys is easy because at least you can groom them to have a role model in a father figure. But for your girl child, you have to be that role model for them to emulate.”
Daniels also revealed that she initially never wanted a daughter before becoming a mother.
“Before I had my first son, I said no, never. I will never have a girl child. Never, ever. But after my first, after my second, I remember, for some reason, it’s female kids that remember,” she added.
Reflecting further on family dynamics, the actress said women tend to maintain stronger emotional ties to their homes than men.
“Men will grow, get married and focus more on building family. But for women, she will always remember home,” she said.
Daniels married Nwoko in 2019, a union that drew widespread attention because of their age difference. The couple share two sons.
Their relationship later became publicly strained in 2025 following allegations by Nwoko that the actress was battling substance abuse and required rehabilitation.
Daniels denied the claims and accused the senator of manipulation, psychological control and abuse before eventually leaving the marriage and moving into her own residence.
Organisers of Big Brother Naija have announced the opening of auditions for the show’s 11th season, unveiling registration details and requirements for prospective housemates.
In a statement on Saturday, the organisers said, “It’s time! #BBNaija Season 11 auditions registration is here,” noting that registration will run from May 16 to 20 for candidates seeking to qualify for the physical audition stage.
They explained that applicants must register via africamagic.tv/bigbrother, fill in personal details, and select preferred audition dates, locations and times, with physical auditions scheduled to hold between May 22 and 24 in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu.
According to the organisers, “AUDITION IS FREE”, and only persons aged 21 and above with valid identification documents are eligible to participate. They also warned that the registration portal will close once capacity is reached.
The statement further cautioned applicants on data usage and participation rules, noting that by submitting entries, participants grant the organisers permission to use audition materials in perpetuity and across global platforms. It also warned that multiple registrations could lead to disqualification.
The announcement comes months after the conclusion of Season 10, which returned to screens on July 26, 2025, featuring 29 housemates competing for a N150 million grand prize.
Imisi Ayanwale emerged as the winner of the season after securing 42.8 per cent of the total votes, ahead of finalists including Dede, Koyin, Sultana, Kola, Jason Jae, Mensan, Isabella and Kaybobo.
Past winners of the reality show include Mercy Eke, Laycon, Whitemoney, Kellyrae, Phyna and Ilebaye, with anticipation now building for Season 11 as viewers await possible new twists and format changes.
Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Genevieve Nnaji, is making her return to television in “Wahala”, a new six-part drama produced by BBC Studios.
The series is based on the novel “Wahala” by Nikki May and will air on BBC One, with episodes also available on BBC iPlayer.
It is adapted for television by BAFTA-nominated writer, Theresa Ikoko.
BBC confirmed the cast on Tuesday, announcing a female-led ensemble that includes Adelayo Adedayo, Deborah Ayorinde, Cush Jumbo, and Susan Wokoma, alongside Nnaji.
Set in London, Wahala follows four Nigerian-British women whose close friendship is tested as they navigate work, relationships, and family life. Their lives begin to shift when hidden secrets from the past resurface, bringing betrayal and tension to the surface.
Speaking about the project, Nnaji said: “I’m very happy to be joining Wahala and to be working with such a brilliant team. It’s an intriguing story, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
