Child Molestation: What Theater Practitioners Said About ‘Baba Ijesha’

The Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria has expressed disappointment over the alleged s.e.xual abuse of a teenager by actor, Olarenwaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha.

TAMPPAN, in a statement sent to Sunday Scoop 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 read in part, “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.”

While sympathising with the parents of the victim, the association urged parents to encourage their children to freely express themselves and expose such acts.

It added, “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.”