Category: Entertainment

The umbrella body of Yoruba actors and filmmakers, TAMPAN, has dissociated itself from a recent statement made by one of its members Deji Aderemi aka Olofa Ina, regarding Baba Ijesha’s alleged rape case.

ODUDUWA NEWS previously reported how Olofa Ina accused his colleague Iyabo Ojo and comedienne Princess of pranking and setting Omiyinka Olanrewaju ( Baba Ijesha) up.

He also said Ms Ojo disrespected him by failing to heed his advice and added that sexual relationships among actors are nothing new in the industry.

The 71-year old actor said this after Baba Ijesha was granted bail by the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on Thursday.

The movie star, who was one of the Yoruba actors who showed up at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja in solidarity with Baba Ijesha, said this while addressing journalists after his colleague was granted bail.

TAMPAN made its stance known at a press briefing held on Saturday in Lagos.
The association’s secretary, Jide Kosoko, condemned the immoral perception of the Yoruba movie industry and actors as portrayed by Olofa Ina.

The association also expressed their belief in law taking its due process. .

Mr Kosoko said, “We do not support any form of criminal behaviour in whatever unit. We stayed away from commenting on the Baba Ijesha saga because we believe in the rule of law, due process and ability of the court to decide cases without being swayed by emotions.”

“The views presented by one of us is in no way representative of the associations’ stand as he spoke in his personal capacity and not on behalf of TAMPAN. The association does not condone immorality.”

“If two consenting adults decide to have this in common, it does not mean that it is the standard practice of the association

Also in attendance were the association’s chairman, Adebayo Salami; the President, Bolaji Amusan; Lagos chapter’s governor, Yinka Quadri and other elders of the association.

Warning
The association called on all members of the industry to desist from using social media to voice out their grievances against each other as the association has mechanisms for dispute settlement among actors.

Kosoko said, “Individual characters should not be the parameter to measure the association. The association can only lay down rules as to how members can comport themselves. If such rules are disregarded, necessary punitive measures will be taken.”

Lagosians, especially lovers of creative contents, were on Thursday and Friday’s evening thrilled to the best of creative performances and musical renditions at an event hosted by Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in partnership with Footprints of David and Ace Musician, Stella Monye, in celebration of the 56th birthday of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

Speaking at the event held at the Glover Memorial Hall, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, eulogised the creative energies of the City of David troupe performance and expressed appreciation for celebrating him the creative way.

He also thanked the Creative Director of Footprints of David Arts Foundation, Mr. Seun Awobajo, for a job well done and for giving hope to the young creative minds from the Bariga area of the State.

In the same vein, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, while speaking on Friday at the Musical event staged by Stella Monye to celebrate the Governor, described Governor Sanwo-Olu as a dedicated and passionate leader, who has the vision to achieve advanced development and the ‘Greater Lagos’ vision for all.

According to her, the celebration by members of the creative industry was in appreciation of the lofty policies, plans and projects that the Governor had initiated for its practitioners.

On his part, the Special Adviser on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Bonu Solomon, commended Mr. Governor for identifying and honouring the various entertainers at the “Obi At’orogbo” event held in Glover Memorial Hall.

He said that the presence of the Governor spoke volumes about his love for the young entertainers, especially the troupe of City of David Foundation, which has distinguished itself in carving a niche for the Foundation.

The Convener of the musical event, Stella Monye, commended the present administration for creating an enabling environment for investments to thrive across all sectors including the creative industry.

Speaking on behalf of the Creative Industry, a veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, equally praised Governor Sanwo-Olu for giving wings to the dreams of the young theatre practitioners of Footprint of David.

He described Governor Sanwo-Olu as a great supporter of the Arts and crusader of noble causes.

In appreciation of the Governor’s leadership and as a token for his birthday, Governor Sanwo-Olu was presented a gift by the Baale of Orile-Bariga, High Chief Waheed Agiri at the Glover Memorial Hall event.

Similarly, an award of recognition was presented to the Governor during the Musical event of 104 Choral Voices alongside the Commissioner, Mrs. Akinbile-Yussuf, who also received an award for supporting the creative industry.

The cultural and musical events, which started on the eve of the Governor’s Birthday at the Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos, came to a climax at the Eko FM Multi-Purpose Hall with several musical renditions and a special appearance by the Choral group of Adeniran College of Education, AOCOED, Ijanikin, Lagos as well as an interlude rendition by Victor Ashaka from Badagry, who also thrilled the audience with his creative composition.

The performance at the Glover Memorial Hall was an exhibition of Culture, blended with percussion and was well attended by dignitaries from all walks of life including the Governor’s wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and top government functionaries.

Present at the court was veteran Nollywood actor, Aderemi ‘Olofa Ina’ who revealed that he had travelled all the way from Ede in Osun state to witness the event.

Explaining his understanding of events, the actor said he had heard that Baba Ijesha had reportedly slept with someone. According to him, that was a normal occurrence in their industry and no big actress could claim that she had never been slept with by someone in their industry.

Veteran actor Olofa Ina defends Baba Ijesha, curses his detractors.

Speaking further, Olofa Ina said that if Baba Ijesha had offended them separately, they should have spoken to him privately rather than making him a prisoner. In tears, he added that he knew those responsible would not go scot free. Olofa Ina said he had never heard of a person taking another to court over having intimate relations. He claimed to have called Iyabo Ojo to lay off the case but she asked him what he would have done if it was his daughter involved.

The actor replied that he told Iyabo it wasn’t her daughter concerned in the matter and he was addressing her as a father figure and wanted her to forget the whole matter so that it would be resolved in-house. However, the actress reportedly dropped the call on him.

Last Tuesday morning, lovers of the music of late ace Yoruba Apala musician, Ayinla Omowura, a.k.a Hadji Costly, Egunmogaji, lost one of the connoisseurs of that traditional music. Waheed Ganiyu was my friend, with whom I shared intellectual conversations on Omowura.

He knew Omowura like the back of his hands, though like me, he never met the Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State-born bohemian musician who was killed 41 years ago in a beer parlour tiff. Ask him what vinyl volume a particular track of the musician could be found, he would tell you off hand, with clinical precision. As a testament to his depth, knowledge and how he lent immeasurable hand in the writing of the book, I showered huge encomiums on Waheed in the book.

But for him, I most probably would not have written the biography of Omowura. He rummaged through information and located me sometime in 2015, clutching earlier pieces I had done in newspapers about Hadji Costly. With that characteristic smile of his, he demanded that I wrote a book on the musician. He would inundate me with calls and pleadings, asking that I should wake up from my procrastination. More out of the need to satisfy him, work began on the book in 2018. You could see the fire of enthusiasm on his face as researches turned up tomes of information about Omowura. He was ever ready to accompany me on the several interview trips I embarked on to Abeokuta and Lagos to talk to sources about the musician.

In February this year, Waheed took ill and we all thought he was going to pull through in matter of weeks. Some weeks ago, he called that his health was deteriorating. Ever not ready to burden anyone with his load, he hid details of his existential challenges from his friends. Only for that jarring news of his passage to hit the airwaves last week.

Lovers of Omowura’s music worldwide should not allow Waheed’s only child, Ganiyu Abdulateef Oluwapamilerinayo, a student of Oriwu Junior Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu to suffer the absence of his father. Many thanks to Azeez Temitope, a friend of his who offered his shoulders for Waheed to lean on in his last moments. May Allah repose his soul.

Nollywood actor Olanrewaju James Omiyinka popularly known as Baba Ijesha was on Wednesday arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos a four-count charge of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child.

Baba Ijesha, who has been in detention since April, 2021, arrived at the Court in the company of his colleague, Yomi Fabiyi and other supporters, as well as family members.

The judge, however, denied him bail and remanded him in the police custody.

The actor was arrested by the Lagos state police after he was alleged to have sexually molested a minor serrially for seven years, from the age of seven.

He was later granted bail on May 17 — after spending about 25 days in police detention by magistrates in charge of prison decongestion.

But he has remained at the Gender Unit of the State CID, Panti, Yaba Lagos despite the bail on account of not being able to perfect the conditions attached to the bail.

When the matter came up on Wednesday, Kayode Olabiran, his counsel, prayed the court to release his client, citing his deteriorating health.

He said the controversial nature of the case has made it difficult to secure his release despite his bail as intending sureties were scared of the likely consequences.

But in his ruling, Magistrate P. E Nwaka, held that the court could not grant the actor bail because the matter is beyond its jurisdiction.

The judge also explained that the case has already been filed before the high court.

Also speaking, Yetunde Cardoso, the superintendent of police in charge of the case, said the matter is now beyond the police.

“Mr Olanrewaju was actually granted bail during the JUSUN strike and based on the conditions given, he couldn’t meet them and he was properly charged today (Wednesday),” she said.

“Just like the court stated, the case has already been filed before the high court and the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) of Lagos State Ministry of Justice has taken over the matter from the police.

“So presently, we have handed over to the DPP so the case is before them (DPP). It has nothing to do with the police anymore, it’s now left for the DPP to handle it.”

Veteran Nigerian actor, Yemi Solade, has backed the Presidency on the recent Twitter ban, describing the move as the “best decision the Presidency could have made”.Solade, in an interview with GoldmyneTV, stated that the microblogging platform went too far by insulting the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and by extension, all Nigerians.

He said, “This is not the first time Twitter will try to humiliate Nigeria. It happened to Pastor Chris Oyakilhome some years back. I think the white supremacist and imperialist tendencies should be curbed sometimes.

“As much as I am of the opinion that everybody has a right to expression and thoughts, but when a platform is used to want to ferment trouble and project anarchy, there should be rules regulating such practices.

In this case, a lot happens on Twitter.“I am not really a Twitter fan; I do little on Twitter. I would want to align with that school of thought that says Twitter was not really helping. Nigeria has so many problems to contend with and Twitter was not really helping the country.

“I want to think in the larger space, it really trampled on the fundamental human rights of Nigerians. Because the President or the Presidency is aggrieved with Twitter, it does not mean that over 190 million Nigerians should queue behind the President,” Solade stated.