Nigerian singer, Naira Marley, has filed a lawsuit against actress Iyabo Ojo, demanding N500 million in damages for alleged defamation.
The suit stems from a September 2023 Instagram post by Ojo, where she accused Marley of engaging in “spiritual and physical dealings” with the late singer Mohbad and causing him “mental harm.”
Marley’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, outlined the accusations in a letter to Ojo, stating that the post falsely portrayed Marley as a drug user and blamed him for Mohbad’s struggles. The lawyer argued that these accusations are defamatory and have caused Marley significant reputational damage.
The letter highlights specific phrases from Ojo’s post, such as “destroying their lives and leaving them without a kobo to get help” and “evidence dey,” which Marley’s lawyer claims imply he drugged Mohbad and his associates.
The lawsuit seeks a public apology from Ojo, to be posted on her Instagram account and published in a national daily. Additionally, Marley demands N500 million in compensation for the damage allegedly caused to his reputation.
“We are Solicitors to Azeez Fashola (a.k.a. Naira Marley) an internationally renowned British and Nigerian Singer/Artist with over seven million followers hereinafter referred to as our client pursuant to whose instruction we write concerning the above headed subject matter,” the letter read.
“It is necessary to preface this letter by stating that in recognition of the iconic status of our client, the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) engaged him to use his skills and platforms to put out content that will discourage millions of his followers and Nigerian youths from substance abuse.
“It is our instruction that sometime in September 2023, you maliciously and falsely published of and concerning our client on your official instagram handle ‘iyaboojofespris’ the following words: and destroying their lives and leaving them without a kobo to get help…….you go still explain taya bcos evidence dey, that your interview you go still re do am again…….make we get justice for Mohbad first”.
“It is unarguably clear that the above quoted words are in their ordinary and natural meanings meant or were understood to mean by ordinary right thinking members of the public that have read the post that our Client is a drug addict and that he laced the food and drinks which our Client gave to the boys staying with him with drugs with the resultant effect of occasioning monumental destruction of their lives.
“Your publication of the above words on the internet which is readily accessible to users of the system constituted a very serious libel and has caused our client colossal damage to his reputation.
“It is incontestably clear that the above-quoted publication which has been read by countless internet users globally is defamatory of our Client and has brought him to public ridicule and contempt with the resultant damage to our Client’s reputation.
“It is our further instruction that since the publication our Client has been inundated with calls from his followers, colleagues, friends and fans all over the world who had read the post expressing their disgust and dismay at the defamatory and libellous publication you had maliciously and falsely posted on your official instagram handle “iyaboojofespris” of and concerning our Client.”
