The Theater Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria has condemned in totality the sexual crime committed by Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, better known as Baba Ijesha.
TrillerTunes recalls that the comic actor was arrested in the last week by the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police for allegedly violating a minor. The actor’s arrest followed a case of child defilement filed against him on 19th April 2021, by Princess Adekola Adekanya at the Sabo Police Station.
Adekanya alleged in the case file that the actor started sexually assaulting the victim, 14 years since she was 7 years old.
Reacting to the development which raised the eyebrows of entertainers and lovers of Baba Ijesha, TAMPPAN said it was disappointed over the act by the actor who happens to be one of their members. The association in a statement made available to newsmen 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.
