Nollywood actress Bimpe Akintunde has emerged as an unexpected mediator in the escalating public feud between fellow actors Ijoba Lande and Baba Tee, a controversy that has captivated Nigerian entertainment circles and social media over the past month. The dramatic saga, centered around allegations of marital infidelity and betrayal, has now entered a new phase with Akintunde’s public appeal for reconciliation.
The controversy erupted last month when Ijoba Lande made shocking accusations against his colleague Baba Tee, claiming the latter had been instrumental in destroying his marriage. In an emotional public statement, Lande revealed that his wife had abandoned their home in January 2025 and disclosed they had been sexually estranged for eight months prior to her departure. The visibly distraught actor shared that he had been forced to assume the roles of both mother and father to their child following his wife’s exit.
These accusations initially prompted fierce denial from Baba Tee, who responded by threatening legal action against what he characterized as defamatory statements. However, in a surprising turn of events, he later admitted to having an intimate encounter with Lande’s estranged wife, though he offered a series of mitigating explanations for his actions.
According to Baba Tee’s subsequent confession, the affair occurred under circumstances involving intoxication, and he claimed complete ignorance of the woman’s marital connection to his fellow actor. His eventual public apology included a cryptic warning to men about the dangers posed by women, suggesting he viewed himself as somewhat of a victim in the situation despite his acknowledged indiscretion.
It is into this volatile scenario that Bimpe Akintunde has now injected herself, offering words of comfort to Ijoba Lande while simultaneously advocating for forgiveness. Taking to Instagram, Akintunde addressed both parties in the dispute with a carefully worded message aimed at de-escalating tensions.
“I am using this medium to reach out to my two brothers involved,” Akintunde wrote, before directly addressing Ijoba Lande with words of encouragement. “You are a good man and truly deserve the best. Trust God and keep hope alive; surely, good things are coming your way.” Her message continued with a specific plea: “Pls accept @babatee.1 deepest Apology Ko ni baje fun gbogbo wa lola Oluwa oba,” invoking divine blessings on all parties involved.
Akintunde’s intervention comes at a particularly sensitive moment in the controversy, as public opinion appears divided between sympathy for Lande’s marital devastation and fascination with Baba Tee’s complicated romantic history. By characterizing Lande as deserving of better circumstances while simultaneously encouraging him to accept Baba Tee’s apology, Akintunde has attempted to validate both men’s positions while steering them toward reconciliation.
For Baba Tee, this controversy represents the latest chapter in what has been a turbulent romantic history played out in the public eye. Industry observers note that he has experienced two previous failed marriages, both ending amid allegations of infidelity and other undisclosed issues.
His first marriage to London socialite Yetunde Bustline Oduwole collapsed in 2013, barely two years after their wedding, with infidelity cited as the primary cause of the relationship’s dissolution. Undeterred by this setback, Baba Tee proposed to another London-based socialite, Dupe Odulate, in 2015, only to have this relationship also end publicly when Odulate announced their separation via social media in 2019.
Despite these consecutive relationship failures, Baba Tee pursued matrimony a third time, welcoming his first child with his new wife in 2020. In what many consider an unusual display of vulnerability for a male Nigerian celebrity, he has previously shared deeply personal details about his past relationships, including claims that his ex-wives mocked his physical attributes and ridiculed his inability to maintain stable marriages.
This complex backdrop has added layers of nuance to the current controversy, with some social media commentators suggesting Baba Tee’s admitted affair with Lande’s wife represents a continuation of established behavioral patterns, while others have expressed sympathy for his claimed ignorance of the woman’s marital status.
For Ijoba Lande, an actor whose star has been rising in the competitive Nollywood ecosystem, the public disintegration of his marriage has coincided with a period of increasing professional visibility, creating a stark contrast between career advancement and personal turmoil. His decision to make private matters public by naming Baba Tee as a factor in his marital collapse represents a significant departure from the discretion typically exercised by Nigerian celebrities regarding their domestic affairs.
Entertainment industry analysts suggest that the willingness of all parties to conduct this dispute in full view of the public reflects broader changes in how Nigerian celebrities navigate personal crises in the social media age. The traditional boundaries between professional and private spheres have become increasingly porous, with stars like Ijoba Lande apparently calculating that transparency about personal struggles may generate public support rather than professional damage.
Bimpe Akintunde’s intervention also highlights the complex web of relationships that characterize Nollywood’s professional community, where colleagues frequently oscillate between competitors and confidants. By positioning herself as a mediator between the two men, Akintunde has demonstrated the industry’s capacity for internal conflict resolution even amid highly publicized disputes.
As this dramatic situation continues to unfold, the Nigerian entertainment community and its audience remain divided on questions of forgiveness, accountability, and the appropriate boundaries between public and private life. Whether Akintunde’s appeal for reconciliation will succeed in healing the rift between these two actors remains to be seen, but her intervention has added yet another compelling dimension to a story that has already captured widespread attention across Nigeria’s entertainment landscape.
