Convicted Nollywood actor Olanrewaju Omiyinka, widely known as Baba Ijesha, has described prison as the place where prayers are answered most, while alleging that many sudden deaths are connected to the prayers and curses of inmates in correctional facilities.
The actor made the remarks during an interview with Dele Adeyanju on Agabletu TV, in a video posted on the television station’s YouTube channel on Sunday. Reflecting on life behind bars months after his release, he described the experience as bitter and said he was made a scapegoat.
A Warning to Young People
Baba Ijesha used the interview to caution younger Nigerians about the choices they make and the company they keep. “Youth should be careful in their dealings. What you think may not lead to prison may land you in prison,” he said.
Asked about his experience, he replied: “Bitter because I was a scapegoat. Do you know, many want people to learn a lesson from celebrities.”
He also said he lived the life of an ordinary inmate despite his celebrity status. “Some warders are more wicked than police. Those in offices are different. There are some that deal with criminals. They don’t know who is celebrity. They don’t listen to the radio or pay attention to anything. You can see those kinds of people. If it is time to cry, you will cry, and if it is time to laugh, you will laugh,” he said.
Wealth and Status Mean Little Behind Bars
Baba Ijesha recounted his shock at seeing how well-to-do people and powerful figures, including ministers, are treated in prison like commoners.
“Do you know what I mean? Some people many think travel abroad are actually in prison,” he said. “Let me shock you. There is someone I blocked after calling him many times, and he did not pick up. It was in my second month in prison; he told someone to call me. I was shocked.”
The actor further claimed that a high number of inmates are wrongly held. “There are about 65% there that are innocent. There is a guy there called No Case. Dear government, please. Some people are in Kirikiri Prison, some are in the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, and others are in Ikoyi. You need to hear their stories and see what they are going through,” he said.
He called on judges and lawyers to pay closer attention to the circumstances of detainees. “Some of you judges and lawyers. You need to listen to their stories and see what is happening. I was also working for my country. I went there to ensure that things are properly investigated and that certain issues are addressed to make things easier for you. There are many people in that situation,” he added.
Addressing those in positions of authority, he said: “I am telling powerful people that when you put someone in a position of authority and they become overwhelmed by power or encounter certain problems, whether legal issues or otherwise, there are things you need to reconsider.”
The Power of Inmate Prayers
Baba Ijesha claimed that inmates pray with unusual intensity, sometimes to the point of self-harm, and that such prayers carry consequences.
“People are praying in prison. People will continue praying until they pick a stone and use it to cut themselves till blood is coming out. The person will lick the blood and tell God, ‘If I am guilty of offense I am here for, let this, and this happen to me. But if I don’t know anything about it…'”
“Many sudden deaths are from prison, and they don’t use knives. It is the power of prayer,” he said. He cited the case of an inmate he called No Case, saying: “The person that put him there apologised before dying. And the No Case is still in prison.”
Background to His Release
The comments come after Baba Ijesha’s release following a conviction. A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja in July 2022 sentenced him to concurrent terms of five years and three years for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child over a 2021 incident.
The Lagos State Government later clarified that he was not acquitted but released after serving his sentence. The Court of Appeal set aside some earlier convictions but upheld the sexual assault ruling, and his name was added to the state’s sex offenders’ register.
In a March 23, 2026 interview with Yinka Ayefele on Fresh FM, Baba Ijesha rejected the paedophile and rapist labels. He claimed he was lured with food and money under the pretext of a movie role by Damilola Adekoya, also known as Princess, arrived expecting a production involving pounded yam and egusi soup, and was set up.
He maintained: “I am not a paedophile, I am not a rapist. It was destiny that punished me.” He said details of his side of the story would appear in an upcoming movie.
