Two clerics predicted my legal troubles — Actor Baba Ijesha

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Convicted Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, has revealed that two clerics warned him about impending trouble involving women and possible legal problems before the incident that led to his imprisonment, but he failed to heed their warnings.

The actor identified the clerics as the founder of Love of Christ Generation Church (Cherubim and Seraphim), Prophetess Abimbola Ajayi, and the founder and spiritual leader of Genesis Global Ministry, Pastor Israel Ogundipe, popularly known as Genesis.

Baba Ijesha made the revelation during an interview with Dele Adeyanju on Agabletu TV, in a video posted on the television station’s YouTube channel on Sunday.

Recounting his encounter with Ajayi, the actor said he had interacted with her during a visit to her church in the United Kingdom, where he had traveled for shows.

He said he was preparing to catch a train when his promoter persuaded him to attend a church programme, where the cleric requested to speak with him.

According to him, Ajayi warned him to be careful about women, particularly a short, dark-complexioned person, adding that he could face legal trouble.

“The Spirit of God told me to warn you about women,” he recalled her saying.

“She said the Spirit of God told her that I should beware of a short, dark-complexioned person.

“She said I would run into trouble and face legal issues, and that I should pray hard so that a lie that looks like the truth would not happen to me,” he added.

He said he was surprised by the warning and asked the cleric what he could do to prevent the predicted trouble.

Baba Ijesha said Ajayi told him that prayers were the only remedy and advised him to visit her church upon returning to Nigeria.

“She said they could not do anything about it, that it was only prayers. She said the only thing we could do was for me to go to her church so she could get the elders to pray over those things,” he said.

He, however, admitted that he did not follow the instruction after returning to Nigeria, although he later attempted to contact her.

The actor also recounted another encounter with Ogundipe whom he described as someone who had shown him affection.

“We went to the evangelist’s house. Immediately, he came; he looked at me and called my name. He lay down and asked me to pass him. He mentioned a name and asked who the person was among my girlfriends. But I could not think of any name,” he said.

Baba Ijesha said the pastor’s words became clearer to him after the incident, claiming that the description given during their encounter matched someone connected to the controversy.

He praised the cleric, describing him as a genuine prophet who received messages from God.

“If you see real prophets, prophets who are sent by God, you will understand,” he said.

The actor’s account comes years after his conviction and imprisonment over the sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child.

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja convicted him in July 2022 and sentenced him to five years and three years’ imprisonment, respectively, with the terms to run concurrently, over offences relating to a 2021 incident.

Following controversies surrounding his release, the Lagos State Government clarified that he was not acquitted but released after completing his prison sentence.

The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, said the Court of Appeal set aside some of the earlier convictions but upheld the 2021 sexual assault conviction.

Baba Ijesha was subsequently added to Lagos State’s sex offenders’ register.

In a separate interview with veteran broadcaster Yinka Ayefele on Fresh FM, reported by PUNCH Online on March 23, 2026, the actor rejected allegations that he was a paedophile or rapist.

He claimed that he was lured with food and money under the pretext of a movie role before the incident that led to his arrest.

“I am not a paedophile, I am not a rapist. It was destiny that punished me,” he said during the interview.

Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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