Oyinkansola Elebuibon, a Yoruba actress based in the United States, has dismissed rumors circulating on social media that Lateef Adedimeji, a popular Yoruba actor, is the father of her child.
On Tuesday, a popular Instagram gossip blog alleged that the actress had given birth to Adedimeji’s child in 2018 and, in order to keep it a secret, had quit acting and relocated to the U.S.
Adedimeji is currently in a relationship with his colleague, Oyebade Adebimpe.
In response to these allegations, the actress, who is the daughter of renowned Ifa priest Ifayemi Elebuibon, took to Instagram Live to denounce the spreaders of the rumor.
“I don’t have a problem with anyone being a journalist or trying to make ends meet. Do what you have to do, but not at the expense of hurting others because, at some point, we need to consider the impact of our actions on those involved,” she said.
She further explained that speculations about her personal life arose because people, including some of her colleagues in the film industry, have always been curious due to her decision to keep her private life off social media.
“This is not the first time something like this has happened. The first time this person posted something about me, I was shocked, but I let it slide because I felt that responding would only give the news more credibility,” she added.
The actress emphasized that it made no sense for a woman to have a child with a man and keep the child away from him. She stated that if she had a child with Adedimeji, she would proudly acknowledge it. She also clarified that Lateef did not even know about the pregnancy until she informed him after giving birth.
Addressing a specific claim made by the blogger, she clarified that the supposed surprise birthday party for Adedimeji in 2019 was a video she made at the request of his then-girlfriend and manager, not an actual event organized by her.
Explaining her decision to relocate to the United States and leave her acting career in Nigeria, Elebuibon recounted a traumatic incident in February 2018 when she was attacked by her Fulani security guard and his friends in her home. Following the attack, she discovered that her assailants returned to destroy her belongings, leaving her feeling unsafe.
Elebuibon began acting at the age of five and appeared in an old soap opera broadcasted on Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC). She also acted alongside her siblings in her father’s renowned epic movies.