Reality TV star Ilebaye Odiniya’s father, Emmanuel Odiniya, has spoken about the confrontation that led to his arrest following an alleged assault involving his daughter.
The incident drew public attention after Ilebaye shared an emotional Instagram Live video around midnight on Saturday, crying for help from her Abuja residence.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command later confirmed that Emmanuel had been arrested after the incident.
In a voice note shared on Facebook by Kogi based journalist Jeremiah Promise Enemona Ocheme and now circulating online, Emmanuel said frustration and provocation led to the altercation.
“I want to put the records straight that what led to that incident was not that I don’t love my daughter. She is one of my best children,” he said.
He claimed he made sacrifices and mobilised support for Ilebaye during her time on the reality show.
“During her time in the Big Brother Naija house, I contributed a lot. I stood by my daughter and made sure people voted for her massively. I used my influence and connections, including governors and other people, to support her until she won,” he stated.
Emmanuel alleged that their relationship changed after she emerged winner of the Big Brother Naija All Stars edition in 2023.
“After she came out and won, she changed. Ilebaye stopped listening to me. I would book her appointments five to six times in a week and she wouldn’t give me audience. She stopped regarding me as her father,” he alleged.
He also criticised her alleged cosmetic procedures.
“I warned her against getting cosmetic surgery — face reconstruction with fillers and BBL. She’s too young for that,” he said.
The father further alleged that Ilebaye had physically attacked him in the past.
“She has hit me twice, and I didn’t do anything to her. One day she took an AC hanger and hit me with it till blood started gushing out of my body,” he claimed.
Speaking on the latest confrontation, Emmanuel alleged that the reality TV star attacked him first before the situation escalated.
“In this recent incident, she insulted me, hit me first with a sea hanger, causing bleeding, pushed me, and then broke an electric lantern on my head,” he said.
He also accused his daughter of neglecting him financially despite his health condition.
“I am very sick and needed to go for medical treatment in Dubai. I called Ilebaye to help me with some money and promised to refund her. She said she didn’t have money. But I saw her video spraying bundles of naira at a colleague’s wedding,” he alleged.
Emmanuel further alleged that Ilebaye negatively influenced her younger brother and interfered in his marriage.
“She has also influenced her younger brother with drugs, and he was expelled from school because of it. She once advised me to divorce her mother,” he added.
Despite the allegations, he said he still wanted reconciliation with his daughter.
“I still love my daughter deeply. I want her to change and do better. I ask for prayers from Nigerians. The police have already intervened and settled the matter,” he said.
Reports indicate that Ilebaye, her father and her younger brothers sustained injuries during the confrontation and were hospitalised afterwards.
Confirming the development, spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said all parties involved were receiving treatment.
“The man is in the hospital; he is sick. All of them were badly injured and are all in the hospital,” Adeh said.
She also disclosed that the siblings were placed under police protective custody while investigations continued.
Ilebaye, who won the 2023 edition of Big Brother Naija All Stars, became the third female winner of the reality show after Mercy Eke and Phyna.
