Lami Calista, the mother of Ilebaye Odiniya, has publicly defended her daughter following viral accusations made by Ilebaye’s father, Emmanuel Odiniya.
In a viral audio recording that recently surfaced online, Emmanuel alleged that since Ilebaye won the ₦120 million grand prize from the Big Brother Naija All Stars edition in 2023, she had failed to support him financially, particularly regarding his medical expenses.
He also criticised the reality TV star over her spending habits, citing an occasion where she sprayed bundles of cash at the wedding celebration of fellow BBNaija star Cross Okonkwo.
Reacting to the allegations, Ms Lami dismissed the claims and accused her ex-husband of being upset because Ilebaye refused to hand over all her winnings to him.
According to her, the reality TV star has spent millions of naira supporting her father, including sponsoring his medical trips to India.
“When Ilebaye came out of the house, she gave the father N7 million for his treatment in India in 2023. Last year again, she gave him N5 million, and he still complained it wasn’t enough. She later sent an extra N3 million apart from the regular N1 million support she gives him,” she said.
She further stated that Ilebaye is responsible for the school fees of her two younger brothers, noting that the educational expenses run into millions of naira.
Questioning Emmanuel’s expectations, Lami said:
“Must she give him all the money? I am surprised he is putting his eyes on the money of the girl. If he is complaining, what about me, the mother? She even wanted to open a shop for me, but the father refused unless he approved it.”
The mother also addressed claims that Ilebaye allegedly gave drugs to her younger brother, leading to disciplinary issues at school.
Describing the allegation as false and damaging, she explained that the boy only found an empty shisha pen in Ilebaye’s room and innocently took it to school out of curiosity.
“What happened is far from what the father said. The boy found an empty pen shisha and showed it to classmates. The matter was resolved at school, and he was never expelled,” she said.
Lami further denied allegations that Ilebaye underwent cosmetic surgery without her father’s knowledge, insisting there had been no such procedure.
“It is a lie. Does her face or body look like someone who underwent cosmetic surgery?” she questioned.
She also alleged that Emmanuel had threatened her daughter on several occasions and accused him of trying to damage Ilebaye’s reputation following recent family disputes.
Speaking on the emotional impact of the allegations, Lami said the accusations involving drugs deeply affected the reality TV star because of the possible damage to her public image.
“To accuse someone of taking drugs is serious. Coming from her own father, many people will believe it. Ilebaye may be stubborn, but she does not take drugs,” she added.
The family controversy has continued to generate widespread reactions online, with social media users divided over the ongoing public exchange between Ilebaye’s parents.
