Emmanuel Odiniya, father of former Big Brother Naija winner Ilebaye Odiniya, has spoken publicly about the viral altercation involving his daughter, insisting the incident was not motivated by hatred but by growing tension within the family.
In a voice recording shared online over the weekend by Kogi-based journalist Jeremiah Ocheme, Mr Odiniya claimed the confrontation happened after years of frustration over what he described as Ilebaye’s changed attitude following her victory at the 2023 edition of the reality show.
“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.
Odiniya explained that he played a major role during her journey on the show and mobilised support to help her emerge victorious.
“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.
According to him, things allegedly changed after she became famous.
“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.
Odiniya also accused Ilebaye of abandoning him 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 said.
Odiniya also criticised some of her lifestyle choices, especially alleged cosmetic procedures.
“I warned her against getting cosmetic surgery — face reconstruction with fillers and BBL. She’s too young for that,” he said.
“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 most recent incident, Odiniya alleged that the reality star attacked him first before the altercation 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 alleged.
Odiniya additionally accused her of negatively influencing her younger brother and interfering in family matters.
“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 claimed.
Despite the allegations, Emmanuel said he still wants peace and 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 added.
The controversy became public after Ilebaye appeared in an emotional livestream video crying for help from their Abuja residence, sparking widespread reactions online.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command later confirmed that several members of the family, including Odiniya and Ilebaye, sustained injuries during the incident and were receiving treatment.
