The father of former Big Brother Naija winner, Ilebaye Odiniya, Mr. Odinia Emmanuel Godson, has publicly addressed the controversy surrounding the alleged assault and domestic violence incident involving his daughter.
In a video confession that has gone viral online and was shared by a journalist on Facebook, Mr. Godson attempted to explain the circumstances that led to the incident.
Introducing himself in the video, he said, “I am Odinia Emmanuel Godson, the father of Ilebaye Odiniya.”
He went on to thank Nigerians both at home and abroad for their reactions to the reports circulating online about his daughter.
“I truly appreciate everyone for their concerns and comments, whether positive or negative, but I want to make it clear that what happened was not because I do not love my daughter,” he stated.
According to him, Ilebaye had always been one of his favourite children, noting that he invested heavily in her education by ensuring she attended some of the best schools.
Speaking further, he recalled supporting her decision to participate in the Big Brother Naija reality show.
“When she first told me about joining Big Brother, I supported her and worked towards it. She was evicted during her first attempt, but during the second one in 2023 or thereabout, I contributed significantly and used my connections within and outside Nigeria to mobilise votes for her,” he said.
Mr. Godson claimed that he personally contributed over 75 percent of the support that helped her emerge victorious in the competition.
However, he expressed disappointment over what he described as a change in her attitude after winning the show.
He added that, in his culture, parents are expected to correct their children before situations get out of hand, alleging that Ilebaye no longer listened to him.
Recall that Ilebaye appealed to the public for help over alleged domestic violence and physical assault.
During an Instagram livestream on Friday midnight, the reality star appeared visibly distressed with a swollen face as she cried out for help.
In the viral clip, Ilebaye was seen screaming while a man believed to be her father was allegedly heard and seen assaulting her in the background.