Yomi Fabiyi | Image: Instagram/realyomifabiyi
Nigerian actor Yomi Fabiyi has said that his controversial film “Oko Iyabo” was meant to correct child abuse as opposed to critics’ claims that he was cashing in and making light of the matter.
Fabiyi’s new film “Oko Iyabo”, which has suffered backlash from social media users, depicts the sexual assault case involving fellow actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha. Baba Ijesha was arrested in April for sexually assaulting a minor, the foster daughter of comedienne, Princess. One of the scenes in “Oko Iyabo” was an exact reenactment of the viral CCTV video footage which implicated Baba Ijesha.
However, the film portrayed Baba Ijesha as a victim of a carefully orchestrated ploy by his close friend, and in the film, the teenage actress could be seen making the first move on the actor.
The film promptly spark outrage on social media after it was released on YouTube. Many social media canvassed for the film to be reported. And the film was removed from YouTube barely 24 hours after it premiered.
“I have ask they PULL or PRIVATE the movie for the sake of peace,” Fabiyi wrote on his Instagram story addressing the concerns around the film.
He added that the film which critics claimed made a mockery if the victim, was actually meant to “correct” the child abuse and assault: “The movie is however to correct CHILD ABUSE, ASSAULT, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE AND OTHER VICES and to state clearly I am not what they claim I am initially. Don’t rush on any negative narrative guys. I am human but will never down play the real issues that concerns children. It is just an expression and I respect polite and superior arguments or opinion. Thank you lovelies.”
The actor signed out with “Yomi Fabiyi a.k.a Oko Iyabo.”
The Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) on Monday summoned Fabiyi over the controversial film. According to TAMPAN, the invitation was necessary “because of the controversy that the subject matter of his film has generated which is against our ethic and virtue.”
Yomi Fabiyi has been a strong advocate for Baba Ijesha. On May 14, he single-handedly led a peaceful protest in Lagos over Baba Ijesha’s continued detention.