By Olusola Adigun, Ibadan
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams may have to explain before the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, why he allegedly referred to Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Igboho as an assassin working for President Bola Tinubu. Igboho on Thursday files filed a suit alleging defamation of character by the Aare Onakakanfo before the court.
Igboho accused Adams of defaming his character by tagging him as a professional assassin, who was involved in the murder of a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, late Bola Ige, killed by gunmen at his Bodija residence, in Ibadan, on December 23, 2001. He claimed the voice of Adams was leaked in a conversation with one Nuru Banjo in November 2021
Igboho wants the court to compel Adams to pay a total sum of N500m in damages , among other demands contained in the suit he filed on Thursday marked I/406/2024 before an Oyo State High Court. He said the leaked conversation has caused a lot of damages to his reputation as an individual as it is slanderous and defamatory.
Part of the suit reads that Igboho is requesting “a declaration that the content of an audio clip between the defendant (Adams) and a third party named Nuru Banjo that took place sometime in November 2021 and further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, is slanderous, libelous and defamatory.
“A declaration that it is unlawful, inappropriate and inexcusable for the defendant to defame, disparage and put to disrepute the character and reputation of the claimant (Igboho) in an audio clip published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, in a publication that took place between the defendant and a third party, Nuru Banjo, sometime in November, 2021 or thereabout.
“An order of this court directing the defendant to publicly retract the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content contained in the publication to Nuru Banjo, which was further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, where the claimant was defamed, maligned and disparaged by the defendant in the conversation published in November 2021 by the defendant.
“An order of this court directing the defendant to engage all new media platforms, including YouTube, to take down the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content against the claimant.
“An order of this court directing the defendant to tender unreserved apology to the claimant in five national newspapers in Nigeria over defamatory content against the claimant by the defendant which has been published on all new media platforms, including YouTube.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agent, privies or assigns from further embarrassing degrading or defaming the person of the claimant.
“An order of this court for the payment of exemplary and aggravated damages in the sum of N500m in favour of the claimant for defamation of the person of the claimant by the defendant. Cost of litigation put at the sum of N10m.”