Baba Ijesha: ‘Please, forgive me, I’m sorry for all I did ’- Nkechi Blessing to TAMPAN

Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing on Sunday tendered a public apology to the umbrella body of Yoruba actors and filmmakers in Nigeria (TAMPAN)over her May 2021 social media spat with her colleague Lege Maimi, which resulted in a suspension.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that TAMPAN suspended both actors indefinitely from appearing on Yoruba movie sets following their heated verbal exchange on Instagram after she and fellow actress Iyabo Ojo vocally criticised actor Baba Ijesha for defiling comedian Princess’s daughter.

On 14 July 2022, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of Ikeja Special Offences Court convicted and sentenced the comic actor for raping a 14-year-old minor after over 12 months of trial.

In response, veteran actor Jide Kosoko barred directors from working with Blessing and Iyabo Ojo, prompting Nkechi to mock the association’s decision.

At the Celebrities Entertainment Awards in Canada on Sunday, Blessing

who started her movie career in 2008 and produced her first movie, Omoge Lekki, in 2015, reconsidered her actions.

In a video trending online, she publicly apologised to TAMPAN’s president, Mr Latin. She knelt on stage with a microphone, offering a heartfelt apology to the association amidst tears.

She said, “I’m so sorry for all that I did. I’m begging from the bottom of my heart that I miss the industry. You all made me who I am today. I am being celebrated all over the world because of you. Please, I’m sorry.”

In the same video, Odunlade Adekola praised her for apologising, and TAMPAN’s president, Mr Latin, also acknowledged her apology and forgave her, bringing a sense of resolution to the situation.

Backstory

After the suspension was announced, Lege Maimi appealed his suspension in a one-minute video captioned “I am sorry.”

Meanwhile, Blessing, in defiance, renounced her association with TAMPAN via an Instagram video.

In the Instagram video, the actor questioned the rationale behind her suspension and criticised the association.

She said, “It came as a shock to me because usually, in an organised organisation, you’re not supposed to serve anybody a letter on social media. I did not join the industry through social media; that is the number one error they wrote to themselves, not to me.

“You claim I’m one of your members in your association, you didn’t call me, you didn’t send a text, you didn’t send an email. You didn’t try contacting me in any way, and you put up whatever you put up on Instagram without even tagging me; some other person sent it to me; who does that?

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Blessing, who has appeared in several movies, including Fate of Alakada, Tanwa Savage, Breaded Life, City Hustlers, and Ada Omo Daddy, added, “We all have the right to express our opinions on our platforms. How can you suspend me when I’ve never been a part of your association or attended your meetings?”