Nollywood actress and podcaster Biola Adebayo has issued an apology following criticism of her interview with actor Baba Ijesha, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a child.
The interview aired on her YouTube show Talk To B and sparked backlash after Baba Ijesha claimed he was set up in the case that led to his imprisonment and discussed his past relationship with Iyabo Ojo.
In a video statement shared on Instagram, Adebayo explained that the platform was intended to give the actor an opportunity to apologise or clarify issues, but he declined. She stressed that her role was not to pass judgment but to ask questions, and that the interview was never meant to justify or excuse his actions.
“What happened is when Baba Ijesha just came back from prison, he told me he was back, and I asked him, ‘Do you want to do an interview to apologise?’ He said no. I thought he would apologise, but he did not. But it is not in my place to condemn him as an interviewer. The platform is for the good and the bad,” she said.
Adebayo, who identifies as a survivor of sexual assault, reiterated that she would never condone pedophilia or rape. “I would never be an accomplice to a paedophile or a rapist. I protect the girl child. I protect children to the best of my ability,” she added.
She also addressed claims that the interview targeted Iyabo Ojo, clarifying that she found nothing in the discussion to malign the actress. “I would never do that. I left it because I felt he wasn’t saying anything bad about her,” Adebayo said.
The controversy continues to divide opinions online, with critics arguing that the interview gave Baba Ijesha a platform to downplay his conviction. Baba Ijesha was sentenced to five years in prison in July 2022 and remains listed on the Lagos Sexual Offenders Register, following clarification from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.
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