Controversial Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, Who is populary known to many as Baba Ijesha has reportedly been released from prison after a Court of Appeal ruling overturned the conviction that sent him behind bars.
The actor had been arrested back in 2021 over allegations of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, a case that sparked massive public outrage at the time. By mid-2022, the Lagos High Court handed him a 16-year jail term.
But over the weekend, a short video surfaced online showing a man who looks very much like Baba Ijesha sitting inside a car, talking on the phone and sounding relieved. The clip, which spread mostly across Facebook, Instagram and X, has not been independently verified, but many believe it captures the moment he regained freedom.
In the video, the man could be heard telling someone in Yoruba that he had just been released and needed to rest before making further calls.
Another Nollywood actor, Yomi Fabiyi — a long-time associate of Baba Ijesha — also announced on Instagram that the Appeal Court judgment favoured his colleague. According to him, the ruling shed light on what he believes was a poorly handled case from the start. He stressed that while he advocates for human rights, he does not support abuse of any kind, especially involving minors.
Fabiyi called for more careful handling of sensitive allegations so that justice is not compromised and the rights of all parties are protected.
As of now, official confirmation from the authorities is still being awaited. However, the online reactions show that many Nigerians are divided, with some celebrating the ruling and others calling for clarity to avoid misinforming the public.
See video below:
