In a recent chat with Saturday Beats, Fabiyi explained that his relationship with Imisi predates her rise to stardom, describing their bond as one built on mentorship and mutual respect. He revealed that he regards her as a daughter in the movie industry, and supporting her during the BBNaija competition was simply an expression of that bond.
“I am an adult who is like a father to her in the movie industry, and she was the only person I knew among all the housemates,” Fabiyi said. “She has always been supportive of everything I do. When I had my housewarming, she stayed all through to make sure the event went well. Supporting her was just the right thing to do.”
The actor also shed light on their history, noting that Imisi began her acting journey at his film academy. He recounted how he personally guided her early career and helped her gain experience on movie sets.
“Imisi was a student at my film academy, and beyond that, she has been very supportive of my son and me. We once lived in the same area in Ikorodu, and she has been helpful beyond the training period. Even from the start, many people believed she would make it as an actress, so I took her along to film locations to build her confidence and skill,” he shared.
Despite past experiences where some individuals he helped turned against him, Fabiyi said he harbours no fear of betrayal. He believes that social media has made many people obsessed with appearing self-made, often at the expense of gratitude.
“I don’t think about such things. Some people cut off those who once supported them because they don’t want anyone to have bragging rights over their success. It’s a social media mentality, and I don’t let it bother me,” he stated.
Reacting to comments by controversial blogger Esabod—who advised him to distance himself from Imisi to avoid harming her public image—Fabiyi dismissed the remarks, saying they held no value to him.
“People like that have no reputation or pedigree, so I don’t dignify them with a response. She doesn’t exist as far as I’m concerned. There’s no need to give her any audience,” he added firmly.
Through his remarks, Fabiyi positioned his support for Imisi not as a publicity stunt, but as a reflection of his mentorship values and his commitment to fostering genuine relationships within the Nigerian film industry.