Entertainment
Alleged sexual assault: Yoruba actor, Baba Ijesha to be arraigned Thursday
Yoruba actor, James Olanrewaju, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, will be arraigned on Thursday before a Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja on allegations of sexual assault of a minor.
Baba Ijesha will be arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo on a six-count charge.
“Indecent Treatment of a Child, Sexual Assault and Attempted Sexual Assault by Penetration contrary to Sections 135, 263 and 262 of the Criminal Law Ch C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 and Sexual Assault by Penetration contrary to *Sections 259* Criminal Law Ch C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2011”, Particulars of the charge read.
Solicitors to Baba Ijesha have also filed an application for his bail before the court dated the 21st of June 2021.
Baba Ijesha has been in custody since his arrest on April 22.
He was earlier granted bail on May 17 following an intervention by members of the Lagos State Judiciary in collaboration with the State’s Ministry of Justice in a move aimed at decongesting Police Stations in the State.
However, he was unable to meet the bail conditions and remained in custody.
Baba Ijesha was , on the 16th of June, arraigned by the police on a five count charge at a Chief Magistrate Court in Yaba. He pleaded not guilty.
His counsel, Kayode Olabiran, made a fresh application for bail.
Olabiran explained, Mr. Olanrewaju has remained in police custody because one of the bail conditions is yet to be met.
“On May 17, the Ministry of Justice, the Judiciary, the NBA and the police took an initiative to decongest jam-packed cells across the State. My client was one of the beneficiaries and the conditions given were two sureties, one must be a blood relation and another surety not less than level 16 in the Lagos state government civil service.
“The elder brother to the defendant has appeared as a surety and we have paid the N500,000 bail bond to the account of the Lagos state government but we have not been able to get a level 16 officer to stand as surety”.
The lawyer added that they got three different level 16 officers but one turned them down and two others declined upon hearing that they need to get a clearance letter from the head of service.
“The level 16 officers are afraid of being issued a query.
“We are applying for bail on a compassionate ground and in the interest of justice”, He urged the magistrate to consider the visibly ill health of his client.
But, a counsel from the office of the DPP, Mobolaji Owoebute-Okedeji, opposed the bail application.
“The matter has been already filed at the High Court”, he urged the court to refuse bail.
After considering all the submissions, Magistrate Peter Nwaka declined to grant the defendant bail on the grounds that he no longer had jurisdiction over the matter.
The magistrate said, “I have carefully considered the application of the counsel to the defendant seeking bail for the defendant and the opposition by the counsel from the DPP.
“Since there are indications that the matter is before the high court and the defendant will appear before the court, no bail can be given.
“The defendant must be accorded full medical attention by the authorities pending his arraignment at the high court,” the magistrate added.
Popular Nigerian singer, Adekunle Kosoko, better known as Adekunle Gold, and his wife, Simisola Kosoko, also known as Simi, have welcomed a set of twin babies.
The singer announced the good news via his Snapchat story on Wednesday.
“Asked God for another child and He blessed me double,” Simi wrote.
Although the gender of the babies has not been disclosed, the announcement has since attracted congratulatory messages from fans, colleagues and well-wishers across the entertainment industry.
The development comes months after Simi had hinted at her pregnancy. In December, she shared a video on Instagram, captioned, “From my baby, for my babies,” with the clip showing her baby bump.
The arrival of the twins also comes weeks after Simi featured in a snippet from Adekunle Gold’s recently released music video titled My Love Is the Same.
Adekunle Gold and Simi got married in 2019 after years of friendship and musical collaboration. Both artistes were formerly signed to X3M Music early in their careers and have since remained one of Nigeria’s most celebrated celebrity couples.
The couple welcomed their first child, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.
Renowned Tungba gospel musician, Dr Yinka Ayefele, has released a new studio album titled Reflections, adding another chapter to his long-standing influence in Nigeria’s gospel music scene.
The album, which was released on Monday, December 22, 2025, blends introspection with praise, as Ayefele reflects on life, faith and gratitude to God, drawing from personal experiences marked by trials, near-tragedies and triumphs.
Announcing the release in a statement, the Group Head of Corporate Affairs, Fresh Nigeria and Yinka Ayefele Limited, Samson Akindele, said the album captures the musician’s deep reflections on life and his renewed commitment to thanksgiving and praise through music.
Musically, Reflections is rooted in Ayefele’s signature Tungba style, featuring energetic drum percussions, rich string arrangements and call-and-response patterns, supported by harmonious backup vocals from the Merry Makers Band.
The album also incorporates diverse elements, including Tungba hymnals and an Arabic praise chant rendered by a budding female talent, Harike Jesu, who additionally delivers a danceable Fuji-inspired track.
According to details of the project, the opening track focuses on Ayefele’s life journey and lessons drawn from past experiences, while subsequent tracks express appreciation to fans and sustain a flow of upbeat, dance-friendly rhythms.
Reflections is available on major digital streaming and download platforms, including Spotify, Boomplay, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Audiomack, YouTube Music, Deezer and Tidal.
The compact disc version is expected to be released in the coming days under the Yinka Ayefele Music label.
Jamaican reggae icon, Jimmy Cliff, is dead. He died on Monday at the age of 81.
His wife, Latifa Chambers, announced the singer’s passing in a statement posted on his official Instagram page.
Chambers said Cliff “crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” describing the loss as “profoundly saddening.”
She wrote, “I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists, and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career.”
Cliff, revered as one of reggae’s defining figures and widely regarded as the genre’s most influential artiste after the late Bob Marley, enjoyed a stellar career that spanned more than four decades.
A multi-instrumentalist known for classics such as You Can Get It If You Really Want and The Harder They Come, Cliff blended reggae with folk, soul, ska and rock. His music frequently tackled themes of politics, poverty, injustice and social resistance.
He shot to global prominence following the release of the 1972 film The Harder They Come, in which he starred. The movie, partly inspired by his tough upbringing, played a pivotal role in pushing Jamaican reggae onto the world stage.
Reacting to his death, Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, described Cliff as “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.”
“His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations, and helped to shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today,” Holness said.
“Walk good, Jimmy Cliff. Your legacy lives on in every corner of our island and in the hearts of the Jamaican people,” he added.
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