Entertainment

More Troubles for Baba Ijesha As Minor Narrates How She Was Defiled with Car Key

Published

4 years ago

October 21, 2021

Eric

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.

The minor said when Baba Ijesha came into the house, he initially acted as if he was having a phone conversation, then he began checking the apartment to know whether anyone was home before he approached her.

“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.

Entertainment

South African Actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, Tells Success Story on Glo-Sponsored African Voices

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2026

Eric

Delectable South African actress, Nomzamo Mbatha, will this week on Globacom-sponsored Cable News Network International’s African Voices Changemakers, reveal her trajectory from the Rainbow Nation to the global stage of make-belief.

In the 30-minute magazine programme, show anchor, Larry Madowo, will engage Mbatha on her soaring career which earned her a mention in the prestigious TIME100 Next in 2025.

The thespian who has been featured in two Hollywood productions has also gained acclaim in the beauty industry as she has signed endorsement deals with Neutrogena and Cream of Nature, both global brands in skincare and haircare, respectively.

Madowo and Mbatha sat for the exclusive interview on set of the final season of the hit television series, Shaka iLembe at the historic Cradle of Humankind outside Johannesburg where she highlighted the cultural significance of Shaka iLembe, and why giving back to her society is at the center of her aspirations as well as the legacy she desires to build beyond the glitz and glamour of the big screen.

This edition of African Voices Changemakers will be broadcast on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with additional broadcasts at noon same day. On Sunday, further repeats hold at 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and on Monday at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. The repeats continue on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m and Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m and Sunday, March15 at 3:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m as well as Monday, March 16 at 3:00 a.m.

Entertainment

Tiwa Savage Launches Music Foundation in Lagos

Published

2 weeks ago

February 26, 2026

Eric

Nigerian Afrobeats star, Tiwa Savage, has unveiled a new initiative aimed at nurturing emerging African creatives, announcing the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and a landmark partnership that will bring the prestigious Berklee College of Music to Lagos for the first time.

The 46-year-old singer announced on her social media platform on Wednesday, declaring, “After years of building globally… It’s time to build at home.”

She introduced Tiwa Savage Music Foundation as “a new initiative dedicated to empowering emerging African creatives through access, mentorship and world-class music education,” adding that, “For the first time ever, Berklee comes to Lagos with the Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme empowering Africa’s next generation of talent.”

Berklee College of Music, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is the world’s largest independent college of contemporary music, renowned for its programmes in jazz, modern American music, and a broad range of genres including rock, hip hop, reggae and more.

In an interview with CNN, the “Ma Lo” singer explained that while Afrobeats has gained global prominence, the industry requires more structural support to remain sustainable.

“Afrobeats has captured the world’s attention, but attention alone is not enough to sustain an industry. Talent is universal — but access is not,” she said.

According to CNN, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation is designed to bridge that access gap.

Beyond supporting vocalists and performers, the foundation will also focus on producers, composers, sound engineers and music business professionals — areas Savage considers critical to building a durable creative economy across Africa.

The foundation’s first major project, tagged Berklee in Nigeria: Tiwa Savage Intensive Music Programme, will see Berklee faculty travel to Lagos from April 23 to 26, 2026, to host a fully funded four-day training for 100 emerging Nigerian music creators.

The programme marks Berklee’s first-ever event in West Africa.

Savage underscored the impact of short, focused training, saying, “You’d be surprised how much you can learn in four days. It gives you a taste of what’s possible and exposes you to parts of music you may not even realise you’re drawn to.”

With the launch of the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation and the forthcoming intensive programme in Lagos, the award-winning singer is now seeking to extend that same opportunity to the next generation — shifting from building global acclaim to building sustainable structures at home.

Entertainment

Spider-Man Voice Actor Alexis Ortega Dies at 38

Published

1 month ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

Mexican voice actor of Spider-Man, Alexis Ortega, has died at 38, according to a report by World Dubbing News.

The platform said: “We regret to announce the sensitive passing of voice actor Alexis Ortega, we send our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in this difficult time.”

The cause of death was not disclosed at the time of the announcement.

Alexis Ortega was born in Mexico in 1987 and began his career in 2013 as an onscreen actor and voice performer. He later became widely known for dubbing Tom Holland’s roles in Spanish for several Marvel films, including Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War.

He also worked on multiple Disney projects, providing Spanish dubbing for films such as Big Hero 6 and Star Wars: Rogue One.

Following confirmation of Alexis Ortega’s death, fans took to social media to share tributes and memories of his work.

“Sad news. Way too young at 38. Rest in peace, Alexis,” user Ilman posted on X.

“Such sad news Alexis Ortega brought Spider-Man to life for so many fans. Rest in peace,” Rechardo wrote.

“It’s truly a loss when a talented voice brings so much life to a character we love. Alexis Ortega’s legacy will surely live on through his iconic performances,” Victor shared.

“Lives on for the rest of time with these movies for the world to know him,” Bunsan added.

Beyond voice work, Ortega appeared on screen in shows including Luis Miguel: The Series, Thursday’s Widows, El Candidato, and The House of Flowers. He also collaborated with Mr Beast, dubbing Spanish versions of the YouTuber’s videos.

Ortega’s final Instagram post, shared in November last year, showed him sitting on a couch with his dog at his home in Mexico City. He captioned the photo, ‘My doggo.’