Entertainment/Arts/Culture
Alleged Defilement: We were acting Movie Script – Baba Ijesha
Nollywood actor, Olarewaju James, alias Baba Ijesha, on Friday testified before an Ikeja Special Offences Court that he was acting a script in the viral video with a minor.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Baba Ijesha made this revelation while being led in evidence by the defence counsel, Dada Awosika (SAN).
Baba Ijesha told the court that the foster mother of the minor, Ms Damilola Adekoya, a comedian also known as Princess, had called and requested him to be part of the movie production.
“On April 19, 2021, Princess sent me a message that she wanted to start a production and she would like me to play the role of a lover boy which I replied ‘okay’.
“She said I was to play the role of a lover boy adding that she wanted to surprise people that I can also play normal roles.
“She said the story is about rape and she wanted to tell the story in another dimension,” he said.
The defence counsel tendered before the court, a printout of WhatsApps message between Princess and the defendant, which was admitted into evidence by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
The embattled actor said he asked Princess for the movie location but she told him to come over to her house.
“Before I entered, Princess met me at the balcony that the movie production was a Lagos State project, adding that the state wanted her to be the face of ‘anti child molestation.’
“She told me to improvise and create a story by myself. I told her the house was dark when I entered. She said we should rehearse that she would use her phone.
“Princess told me to kiss and suck the breast of the child, adding that the dress the girl was wearing was purposely for the role the girl wanted to play.
“She would leave the room so that the child would not be shy to play out the role.
“All those things we are seeing in that video is just acting. My lord check my record when it comes to acting, I can kill myself and die for acting. She was the one directing and filming my angles,” he said.
Baba Ijesha told the court that himself and Princess were directors of the movie, adding that she told him he could act out the scene in the kitchen as well.
“She told me I could go into the kitchen as well. She told the girl in question you remember what I told you, when I leave the room now, act out your role perfectly.
“The girl removed my shoe and I started acting out my role. I romanced her based on the movie role Princess gave me.
“As I was acting with the girl, kissing and licking her fingers, I was also whispering to her ‘hey do not look at the camera’.
“Suddenly, I saw like eight people including Princess, entered the room and started beating the girl.
“I even thought it was part of acting. She beat her and said ‘idiot is that what I asked you to do’. One of the men gave me a blow and alleged that I raped the girl,” he said.
The defendant further told the court that he was shocked when he was being beaten and thought that the men who meted out the beating were amateur actors because they are not meant to use actual physical violence in movie scenes.
Baba Ijesha said that he was forced in one of the viral videos by Princess to admit that he defiled the minor.
“Princess said “you know I love you, just tell me that seven years ago you used your car key to disvirgin the girl” that she would allow me to go if I said so.
“I had to accept under pressure so that the men would not injure me the more, after Princess invited one police officer named Abigail, before I was taken to Sabo Police Station after,” he told the court.
The defendant said he was forced to sign a statement which was not written by him at the police station.
“The statement in question profiled me because I have all my information online and Princess knows all my information as well.
“Immediately, Abigail asked me to sign and I did just that, she took me back to the cell and I stayed there till the following morning,” he said.
Under cross-examination by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, the defendant admitted to have known the girl since she was seven.
He added that he did not inform the Police at Sabo and Panti, respectively that they were acting.
“I did not inform the policemen that we were acting because I was not myself.
“I also did not inform them at the two police stations that Princess and I were in a relationship,” he said.
Probing Baba Ijesha further, Martins said: “While you were being beaten, you said you thought that they were amateur actors because of the actual violence.
“Since you said it was a movie script, so you are not meant to mimic sexual assault on an underage child?”
Baba Ijesha in his response said the scenes he acted with the minor were appropriate.
The defendant is facing a six-count charge bordering on indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until March 11 for continuation of defence. (NAN)
Grammy-winning Nigerian Singer Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has hinted the release of a new album.The “Twice As Tall” crooner disclosed this in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday.He wrote: “Album dropping 12AM.”According to the Afrobeat superstar, the new album will be dropping on July 30.
The announcement came after his recent celebration of the fifth anniversary of his Grammy nominated 2019 album “African Giant”,which he marked with a concert at the kolo Camden, United Kingdom. The multiple award-winning artiste has continued to make headlines for being atthe forefront of exporting Nigerian music with his award-winning albums and historic sold-out concertsIn 2019, he won the Best International Act at the BET Awards, and was named an Apple Music Up Next artist.He also released his fourth studio album, African Giant, which went on to win Album of the Year at the All Africa Music Awards.The album was nominated for Best World Music Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards and he clinched the African Artistof the Year at the 2020 Ghana Music Awards.Burna Boy released his fifth studio album, ‘Twice as Tall’, in August 2020, which fetched him the Best World Music Album atthe 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.His sixth studio album Love Damini was released in 2022 and became the highest debut of a Nigerian album on the Billboard200 chart.Love Damini also became the highest-charting African album in France, the Netherlands and the UK.In October of same year, Burna Boy was awarded the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic plaque for his achievementsin music.In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked him number 197 on its list of the 200 greatest singers of all time and he won his fourthBest International Act at the BET Awards in 2023, among others.He made history again when his his 7th album, ‘I Told Them’ released in October 2023, earned him nominationsfor the 2024 Grammys, which became his fourth consecutive album to be nominated for the Grammys.(NAN)
The news of Rema’s record-breaking performance fee at Anant Ambani’s wedding has sent shockwaves across social media, with many users hailing music as a lucrative career path.
The Nigerian Afrobeats sensation reportedly pocketed a whopping N4.5 billion (three million dollars) for performing just one of hit songs, ‘Calm Down’, at the high-profile event, leaving many in awe.
Rema performed at the wedding of Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani’s son, Anant Ambani, and daughter of pharma tycoons, Viren and Shaila Merchant, Radhika Merchant.
The event held on Friday at the Jio World Centre in Bandra Kurla Centre (BKC) in Mumbai.
Canadian singer, Justin Bieber, was also paid 10 million dollars for his performance at the event, according to reports.
Pop star, Rihanna, also performed at the event for an undisclosed fee.
Social media platforms are buzzing with excitement as aspiring musicians and music enthusiasts alike are drawing inspiration from Rema’s achievement.
The news has also sparked a renewed interest in the music industry, with many youths seeing Rema’s success as a motivation to pursue their own careers.
@Solomon_King says on X, “Hold up, let us get this straight, Rema just bagged a whopping N4.5 billion ($3 million) for singing one song at some rich kid’s wedding?!
“One song? We’re talking about a sum that could solve Nigeria’s economic problems, okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point.
“Rema just made more money than I’ll see in a lifetime and I’m still struggling to pay my rent.
“I need to start singing.”
@OlamideAngel said, “I’m quitting my job to become a musician, or maybe just a wedding singer.
“We’re dying over here! Meanwhile, Rema’s just over here living his best life and we’re not hating. In fact, we’re low-key inspired to step up our music game.
“On a more serious note, this achievement is a testament to Rema’s hard work and talent. We’re proud to see African artistes making waves and getting the recognition they deserve.”
@Perryblack, an X user, said, “Back then y’all mocked Rema for sounding “Indian” when he broke out. Now he was paid $3m to perform a song at Anant-Radhika’s wedding in India.
“Trust your music, Trust the process. Maybe I will go with Portable that said music money is bigger and better than football money.
“We thought Rema was goofing when he said he’s the future. He said he’s the next wizkid but we are not taking him seriously. Big ups boy.”
According to @blacktribemusic, “ Only this Rema’s song alone has made him one of the biggest artistes in Africa. Bigger than the top guys una dey reason self.
“Rema is too big to be underrated by Nigerians, he’s just 22 but making more money.
“Another day to remind y’all that music money is longer than football own.”
On the contrary, @cassandra mentioned that the billionaire should have used the money to feed all the poor Indian citizens.
“That country dey suffer, why can’t he donate this money to the poor. Isn’t India one of the poorest countries in the world?
“I swear the billionaires don’t think of the poor chaii!
“Just $1k is enough for like 1 million people and
they will appreciate it and pray for you, it is more than all this show off,” she said.
Also, @UcheMark said, “They all belong to the same cult. Even from the beginning of Rema’s career, we can already recognise his affiliation with India (voodoo).
“Also, his recent use of devilish symbols and colours is enough evidence. Birds of a feather.”
@chocolatechic said, “I will never be poor.” (NAN)
Female talking drummer, Aralola Olumuyiwa, popularly known as “Ara”, says Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, taught her humility.
Ara said this in an interview on Friday in Lagos while commending President Bola Tinubu for renaming the National Arts Theatre as Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts.
The drummer urged the Federal Government to continue to honour thespians while alive.
“This development is highly welcome, the first black nobel laureate we have, honestly, he deserves more.
“He is 90, we don’t know how long we are going to have him here. I am very proud of him and his achievements. We should make it a habit to always honour our thespians.
“2007, my first encounter with Prof. Soyinka, I attended an event organised in his honour, so, I was invited as one of the artistes to perform, after the event, he invited me to his house where he asked me “Why the talking drum”?
“Also, during my 40th birthday years ago, he sent goodwill messages to me, which meant a lot to me.
“I learnt humility from Prof. Soyinka, he does not allow anyone carry his bag, I was only opportune to carry his bag once, that was after dragging it from him. This speaks volumes to me,” she said.
Ara described Soyinka as a great respecter and lover of African culture, urging the younger generation to emulate such from him.
“Another virtue people should emulate from Soyinka is that he is a real and genuine individual, so, I challenge everyone, dare to be you, dare to be different, don’t be anybody,” she said. (NAN)
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