Iyabo Ojo: 'I Was Raped Five Times' – Why I Fought for Justice in Baba Ijesha Case

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Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has revealed the personal reasons behind her vocal support for comedienne Princess during the controversial rape case involving actor Baba Ijesha.

Speaking during a recent episode of The Goldroom with Iyabo, the actress explained that her deep outrage stemmed from her own traumatic past, having been a victim of sexual assault multiple times. She expressed that seeing the case unfold triggered her, especially the way many adults twisted the narrative and targeted both the minor involved and Princess.

“I remember when he was doing the show, the young lady who was molested by one of my senior colleagues, I really didn’t control my emotions then because I was outraged by what happened,” Iyabo shared. “And I think it’s because I was also coming from that part, where I had gone through whatever she went through multiple times and I just felt like enough is enough.”

She went on to say that she was shocked by how many adults were defending the accused and blaming the victims, which made her realise how far the country still has to go in addressing sexual abuse.

“I was taken aback when I saw adults manipulating the story and even coming for the child and Princess, and that made me know we have a long way to go in Nigeria.”

Iyabo also addressed the backlash she sometimes receives for calling out wrongdoing, especially among fellow entertainers. According to her, public figures have a responsibility to set an example.

“You’ll notice when I kick, I kick when my fellow entertainers do wrong, because I feel like we are supposed to do right by our people, that’s why we are entertainers. We are also evangelists, because if we’re playing a bad role, something bad must happen to the person playing the bad role. We are preaching—we cannot be preaching and doing the same thing the bad people are doing,” she added. “So for me, it gets to me more when a known person does something wrong.”

In a separate interview with actress Biola Bayo, Iyabo disclosed that she had been raped five times. She used the opportunity to criticize the culture of victim-blaming and support for perpetrators, emphasizing that she would never excuse such behavior—even from her own family.

“We have a lot of rape apologists,” she noted. “If my son was accused of being a rapist, I would come for him unapologetically.”

Iyabo’s candidness has reignited important conversations around abuse, accountability, and the role of public figures in advocating for justice.

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