Profile	Details
Full Name	Olanrewaju James Omiyinka
Stage Name	Baba Ijesha
Date of Birth	October 8, 1972
Place of Birth	Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian
Ethnicity	Yoruba
Education	Lagos State University (Theatre Arts)
Occupation	Actor, comedian, filmmaker, singer
Marriage	July 14, 2012
Children	Yes (including a son born June 2026)
Prison Release	November 14, 2025

Few names carry as much weight — and contradiction — in Nigerian entertainment as Olanrewaju James Omiyinka. For decades, audiences know him as one of the funniest faces in Yoruba cinema. Then one scandal rewrites the story the public thought they knew. This Baba Ijesha Biography covers the full arc: from a boy in Ile-Ife who makes his neighbours laugh, to a television regular, to a celebrated Nollywood actor, to a man who serves time in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.

His story is important because it is real, documented, and still unfolding. Reading the complete Baba Ijesha biography means understanding not just the career, but the legal case that divides Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

Early Life

Baba Ijesha is born into the family of Mr and Mrs Omiyinka in Ile-Ife, Osun State, on October 8, 1972. He grows up in a Yoruba household where community, language, and oral culture shape daily life.

From an early age, he carries a gift for mimicry and storytelling. Neighbours notice the boy who recreates scenes, speaks in accents, and keeps anyone around him entertained without trying hard. As a child, he figures he has a talent for acting and joins his congregation’s show group as a teen. That church group becomes his first stage.

He grows up without wealth, but with determination. His parents value discipline, and the environment around him — festival culture, travelling theatre troupes, local drama — feeds his appetite for performance.

Educational Background

This section of the Baba Ijesha biography addresses a detail many sources overlook. Baba Ijesha does not delve deeply into formal education until later years. He secures admission into the University of Lagos, where he studies theatre arts.

In interviews, he speaks openly about pursuing education even while already active in entertainment. He once tells The Nation newspaper that going back to school is not about competing with his wife — it is about self-improvement. His academic path at UNILAG in Theatre Arts confirms that his craft is not just instinct. He chooses to understand it formally.

Real Name

Many fans never know his government name. His real name is Olanrewaju James Omiyinka. Fans give him the nickname “Baba Ijesha” after he features in a film where he plays the role of an Ijesha man, and his portrayal is so convincing that the name sticks — even his family members stop calling him by his given name.

The irony is worth noting: a man from Ile-Ife, not from Ijesha land, masters the Ijesha dialect so completely that it defines his entire career identity.

Career

The career section carries the most weight in any Baba Ijesha biography.

He does not begin in home video. He works in television and radio before joining the home video industry. When AIT and Raypower start broadcasting, he becomes a regular on the Mini Jojo programme. Along the line, a young man from Ijesha picks interest in him, and the Ijesha identity follows.

The movie Omo Orita, written and produced by Saheed Balogun, brings Baba Ijesha into the mainstream spotlight. From that point, his career accelerates. He appears in over 50 Yoruba films and television series. His titles include Afefe Ife, Opolo, Ololo Masun, Oga Muibi, Dangote, Arokan, Baba Masoko, Baba Mario, Gelede, and Baba Kondison, among many others.

His comedy style sets him apart. He blends the Ijesha dialect with sharp physical comedy, making him one of the most recognisable faces in Yoruba cinema through the 2000s and 2010s.

In 2018, he launches a YouTube channel called OfficialBabaijeshaTV, which accumulates over one million views with content primarily in the Yoruba language. He also ventures into music. His comic song Olongbo makes waves in 2016.

Status in Nollywood

This Baba Ijesha biography gives his Nollywood standing the attention it deserves. Before 2021, he stands as one of the respected veterans of Yoruba comedy films — an actor with decades of consistent output, a loyal fan base, and a recognisable voice across southwest Nigeria.

He works alongside major industry figures including Jide Alabi, Ronke Ojo, Femi Fadeyi, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Bisi Gboye, and Jide Kosoko. He is not a background actor — he is a lead, a co-producer, and eventually a filmmaker with his own production credits.

His social media reach, especially on Instagram and YouTube, extends his relevance to younger audiences who discover his comedy through clips and skits rather than home video stores.

Family

He keeps his personal life private through most of his career. He marries on July 14, 2012, in a ceremony he keeps relatively low-key. He does not publicly identify his wife’s full name in media interviews, and he shields his children from publicity.

That changes in June 2026. Baba Ijesha announces the birth of his baby boy with fashion designer Abiodun Folashade Tokunbo, widely known as CEO Luminee. In an emotional Instagram post, he expresses gratitude to God for the arrival of their son and reveals the child’s name as King Kagar Omiyinka. He describes CEO Luminee as a kind-hearted and exceptional person, noting that they had intentionally kept their relationship away from public attention for an extended period.

Legal Case and Prison

No honest Baba Ijesha biography can skip this section. It is the most documented and consequential part of his adult life.

In April 2021, actress and comedienne Damilola Adekoya, popularly known as Princess, reports to Sabo Police Station that Baba Ijesha sexually assaulted her 14-year-old foster daughter. The case is transferred to the Gender Unit of the State CID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos. Police state that preliminary findings suggest the actor begins the abuse when the victim is seven years old.

CCTV footage captured at Princess’s residence becomes central evidence in the case. The footage circulates widely online and sparks national debate.

The Lagos State government arraigns him before the court on June 24, 2021, on a six-count charge. The trial draws enormous media attention and divides the Nigerian entertainment industry, with some colleagues supporting him and others backing the victim.

On July 14, 2022, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja finds him guilty and sentences him — five years for count two, three years for count three, five years for count four, and three years for count five, all to run concurrently.

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, delivers its own judgment on June 28, 2024. While it sets aside convictions relating to alleged offences from 2013–2014, it upholds the conviction and sentence for the 2021 sexual assault charges.

Baba Ijesha then appeals to the Supreme Court. The appeal is struck out on May 29, 2025, for being incompetent. A subsequent motion for leave to file a fresh appeal is also dismissed on October 9, 2025, leaving the Court of Appeal judgment intact.

He is released in November 2025 after serving his term at Kirikiri Maximum Security Correctional Centre in Lagos. The Lagos State Attorney-General confirms his release results from completing his sentence — not from any acquittal or exoneration.

In early 2026, he breaks his silence through a viral music video. He claims he is set up and that his trust is betrayed by someone he considers a close friend. He urges fans to be careful about the company they keep.

Net Worth

His official net worth is not publicly confirmed. No audited financial record exists in the public domain. Most online estimates remain unverified figures based on career activity and social-media following. What is certain is that before 2021, his income streams include film production, acting, brand ambassadorship, and social-media content creation. The legal case and subsequent imprisonment interrupt those earnings significantly.