Baba Ijesha: Theater Practitioners Take Side Over Actor’s Rape Case

The Theater Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria has declared its support to the Lagos State government in dealing with perpetrators of sexual harassment.

Naija News understands that TAMPPAN declared this while reacting to the case of sexual assault on a teenager as confessed to by Mr Olanrewaju James, aka Baba Ijesha.

Recall that a case of child defilement was filed before the Lagos State Police Command on 19th April 2021 by one Princess Adekola Adekanya at Sabo Police Station.

The case file claimed that the actor started sexually assaulting the victim, 14 years after she was 7 years old.

Reacting to the development, TAMPPAN said it was disappointed over the act by Baba Ijesha who happens to be one of their members.

The actor’s association in a statement sent to Sunday Scoop on Saturday and signed by its Director of Research and Documentation, Yemi Amodu, said it would never support any hideous act but would support the Lagos State Government in ensuring that justice is served.

The statement reads: “We find it obligatory to condemn in totality the odious occurrence of paedophilia confessed to by Mr Olanrewaju James, aka Baba Ijesha, as confirmed by the police. Our association, TAMPPAN, is crestfallen about this act and will reproach and remonstrate the committer of such sexual harassment to prepubescent children.

“Considering the sensitivity of the case, which is still under investigation, TAMPPAN will never support all acts against what we preach and represent.

“As an association, we understand the mores and the social norms of our people and our behaviour will always be homiletic. Therefore, we would not fail to support the government in its bid to do justice towards ensuring that such ignoble acts are checked within our society.”

TAMPPAN sympathised with the parents of the victim, used the opportunity to urge parents to encourage their children to freely express themselves and expose such acts.

“We sympathise with the parents of the victim and also seize this opportunity to charge all parents to give their children or wards freedom to express themselves for the timely arrest of such horrible acts whenever such are committed,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, veteran actress, Omotola Jalade has finally broken her silence on allegations that she was having an affair with Nigerian politician and the former national chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Adams Oshiomole.
In a recent interview with the BBC Yoruba, the mother of four said she did not like to attend events and never met the former governor before.