Ms Lami Calista has publicly defended her daughter, Ilebaye Odiniya, following a series of allegations made by the reality star’s father, Emmanuel Odiniya.

The controversy erupted after a viral voice recording surfaced online in which Mr Odiniya accused Ilebaye of failing to financially support him despite reportedly receiving ₦120 million after winning the 2023 edition of Big Brother Naija All Stars.

He also alleged that the reality TV star was reckless with money and made claims involving her younger brother and alleged drug use.

Reacting during a chat with Linda Ikeji’s Blog, Ms Lami strongly denied the accusations and insisted that her daughter had spent millions supporting her father, particularly during his medical trips to India.

According to her, Ilebaye initially gave her father ₦7 million for treatment in India in 2023 and later sent another ₦5 million during a subsequent trip. She added that when he reportedly complained the amount was insufficient, the BBNaija star allegedly transferred an additional ₦3 million, aside from regular monthly support.

She also revealed that Ilebaye currently handles the school fees of her younger brothers, describing the expenses as substantial.

Ms Lami questioned why her daughter was being pressured to surrender all her earnings, arguing that the reality star had already done enough for the family.

She further claimed that tension within the family escalated after Ilebaye allegedly refused to hand over all her prize money and declined a request to give her father ₦50 million.

Addressing allegations that the reality star introduced her younger brother to drugs, Ms Lami dismissed the claim as false and damaging.

According to her, the incident involved the teenager finding an empty shisha pen in Ilebaye’s room and taking it to school out of curiosity. 

She explained that school authorities later investigated the issue, warned the boy, and resolved the matter without expulsion.

She maintained that no drugs were involved and criticised attempts to tarnish her daughter’s reputation.

Ms Lami also denied reports that Ilebaye secretly underwent cosmetic surgery, insisting there had been no physical transformation to support such claims.

She accused her former partner of attempting to damage the reality star’s public image after Ilebaye emotionally appealed for help during a recent live video session online.

Speaking on the emotional toll the accusations have had on her daughter, Ms Lami said the drug allegations deeply affected the BBNaija winner because of the stigma attached to such claims.

While admitting that Ilebaye may be stubborn at times, she insisted her daughter does not use drugs and generally avoids controversy and social media attention because of fear of public criticism.

The family dispute has since sparked widespread reactions online, with social media users divided over the ongoing accusations and counterclaims involving the reality TV personality and her parents.