‘Mr Latin is an opportunist’ — Baba Ijesa recounts ordeal with colleague

Yoruba actor and comedian Baba Ijesa has described fellow actor Mr Latin as an opportunist while recounting his experience during a recent crisis involving them.

Speaking during a programme, Baba Ijesa said he repeatedly tried to contact Mr Latin after returning from Jerusalem but was met with excuses.

The actor claimed he called Mr Latin, whom he described as his elder brother, more than 25 times, but repeatedly received responses such as, “I’m in a meeting, I’m in a meeting.”

Baba Ijesa said he could have altered his account to avoid portraying Mr Latin in a negative light but chose to narrate the incident as it happened.

He further recounted that after arriving in the area, he went to report at their house and was subsequently arrested.

According to him, Mr Latin’s closeness to Sirikimi and his popularity may have influenced the way he handled the situation.

Baba Ijesa said he understood why his colleague might have been reluctant to get involved in a situation that could cause him trouble.

He also expressed disappointment over previous comments made by Mr Latin about the incident, saying he believed his colleague knew what had happened when he arrived.

Despite his grievances, Baba Ijesa appeared to caution against escalating the disagreement, suggesting that if he wanted to confront Mr Latin, he could even do so through a movie.

“There is no theatre practitioner without wisdom; you cannot find a foolish comedian. We don’t call comedy foolishness, it is inspiration,” he said.

He ended by stressing the importance of wisdom and patience, while a song played in the background with the message: “Gently, gently is how an elder acts. If we live long in this world, we become elders.”