The backlash came swiftly and intensely. Within hours of releasing a podcast interview with actor Baba Ijesha, actress and podcaster Biola Adebayo found herself at the centre of one of Nigeria’s most heated online debates about media responsibility, celebrity accountability and justice.

By Tuesday evening, the actress had removed the interview and issued a public apology.

The controversy began after Baba Ijesha, recently released from prison following a conviction tied to sexual assault allegations involving a minor, appeared on Adebayo’s podcast “Talk to B.”

During the interview, the actor maintained that the allegations against him were false. He also claimed that actress Iyabo Ojo — who publicly supported the victim during the original case — had once trusted him with the care of her children.

The interview quickly spread across Nigerian social media platforms, triggering outrage from many viewers who argued that giving Baba Ijesha a platform allowed him to challenge a case that had already been decided in court.

Some critics accused Adebayo of helping to rehabilitate the actor’s public image without addressing the gravity of the case.

Facing mounting criticism, Adebayo deleted the interview and addressed the issue in a video posted on her Instagram page.

She apologised to viewers and insisted the podcast was never meant to defend or exonerate the actor.

“I will never support a rapist or a paedophile,” she said.

“I thought I was simply interviewing him to hear his side. I expected him to apologise, but he did not.”

Adebayo also disclosed that she herself is a survivor of sexual violence, adding that the situation had been emotionally difficult.

Her explanation attempted to reframe the interview as a journalistic exercise rather than an endorsement.

Beyond the apology, the episode highlights a broader shift in Nigeria’s digital media environment.

Podcasting and influencer-led interviews have become powerful platforms for shaping public narratives. But unlike traditional journalism, these spaces often operate without clear editorial guidelines or newsroom oversight.

That tension becomes especially visible when controversial figures attempt to reclaim their public voice.

In the Baba Ijesha case, public reaction suggests many Nigerians believe certain stories — particularly those involving crimes against children — require stricter ethical boundaries.