The legal counsel of Mr. Tunji Fabode, the publisher of Nijatodaynews has warned Oyo Deputy Governor’s aide who is the publisher of mouthpiecengr.com, Mr. Oyedeji Ahmed to withdraw the scandalous publication published on his online media platform where he claimed that the Naija TODAY News Publisher had duped an unknown person the sum of #1.2m.
The legal counsel in their letter vehemently warned the online media site to pull down the said publication within seven 7 days of the receipt of the letter and pay damages of #100,000,000 (one hundred million naira) to his client for the unsubstantiated and scandalous publication made against him.
The solicitor in a letter already handed over to failure to adhere strictly to this wise counsel according to them will force the legal team to approach a court of competent jurisdiction to save their client from the scandalous publication which if not legally addressed can damage the reputation of their client and his company.
The letter reads in part:
OYEDEJI AHMED,
THE PUBLISHER
MOUTHPIECE NIGERIA NEWS BLOG.
SIR
FAILURE TO SUBSTANTIATE ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD MADE AGAINST MR. TUNJI FABODE OF NAIJA TODAY NEWS BLOG ON MOUTHPIECE NIGERIA PUBLICATION DATED THE 18TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2023;
DEMAND FOR AN UNRESERVED APOLOGY AND IMMEDIATE RETRACTION OF SCANDALOUS PUBLICATION.
The above subject matter refers.
We are Solicitors to MR. TUNJI FABODE of NAIJA TODAY NEWS BLOG (hereinafter referred to as “our client”) and on his behalf and unequivocal instructions, we write.
Our client received with rude shock your publication of the 18th day of November, 2023 with the title: “Iyaloja General: Don’t drag our name in the mud by your fraudulent activities- Oyo Indigenes Forum warns Naija Today Publisher”. The said publication contains serious but unfounded allegations portraying our client as a dubious person who has been defrauding people with his businesses and activities and instigating people against the Governor of Oyo State and other dignitaries in the state.
We want to clarify prima facie that our client owes the Executive Governor of Oyo State in high esteem and did not do anything which seeks to put any one with logger heads with the Governor of Oyo State or any other dignitaries and stakeholders in the state. Your insinuations in your publication in that regard only exists in the figment of your imagination.
Going into the specifics; in the first paragraph of the publication dated 18th day of November, 2023; you made allusion to the fact that our client has fraudulent activities as his ways: you stated vividly that: “A notorious blogger in Oyo state named Naija Today has received a strong warning from the Oyo Indigene Forum, a forum of young people in Oyo state, for bringing the reputation of their esteemed organisation into disrepute by his fraudulent activities.”
As if the above was not enough, at subsequent paragraphs of the publication, it was also stated without showing any particulars and quoting the names and sufficient information of the person who actually made the statements that: “The statement, which was signed by the spokesman of the organisation, said that it had repeatedly discovered the dubious Oyo blogger’s fraudulent actions, which involved discrediting well-known individuals this Naija Today publisher, who had once worked with Princess Abeo as her media aide during the Iyaloja struggle, was accused of defrauding a close associate of Princess Abeo of N1,200 million before being banished for his fraudulent activities.”
The above publication of the 18th day of November, 2023 was circulated to the whole world via your website and other social media Blogs/platforms;thereby exposing our client to mockery in the eye of the reasonable citizens of Nigeria both home and abroad.
PLEASE BE INFORMED that our client object to your malicious, scandalous and malafide description of him as a dubious person with “fraudulent activities” at the above quoted portions of your publication and vehemently denies all the unfounded and unsubstantiated accusations without mincing words. We also state unequivocally that the said publications are defamatory of our client’s reputation and business.
It is quite unfortunate that since your said publication, our client had been inundated with series of calls from Nigerians home and abroad making enquiries as to the said publication and whether it was referring to our client or someone else. Your publication has also had impact on the estimation of our client before his esteemed clients and business associates to say the least.
It is in view of the foregoing, we demand that you substantiate your allegations of fraud made against our client with cogent, specific and compelling particulars and evidence, or else you shall be made to face the damning consequences of your actions.
“We also demand that you immediately retract and pull down the said publication within 7 days of the receipt of this letter and pay damages of the sum of N100, 000, 000.00 (Hundred Million Naira) to our client for the unsubstantiated and scandalous publication made against him and his business”
“The Oyo Deputy Governor’s aide is being prosecuted with the above fine for your inability to substantiate allegations of fraud made against Mr. Tunji Fabode of Nijatodaynews blog.
“Failure to substantiate the bogus allegations made against our client will leave us with no option but to approach a court of competent jurisdiction seeking reliefs against you for the defamation of our client’s business and reputation, demanding for damages of the sum not less than N100, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) as compensation for same”
“We firmly believe the wise counsel will prevail as you will not want to be dragged through the heat of a protracted litigation.”
This newspaper however hinted that “We are very much aware of the fact that our highly respected deputy Governor, Chief Bayo Lawal is not aware of the silent practices of one of his aides against the generality of Oyo traders and the Governor and we trust his capacities, sanity, elderly wisdom, experiences and knowledge as a referred legal practitioner and cannot be fingered as supporting or sponsoring his aide to give media hype to Mrs. Folashade Abeo whose actions and practices is fiercely against the norm , especially for going against constituted authorities in the state and we want to call his attention to this barbaric act so he can act accordingly on these matters”
“We also want to intimate the general public that we have already instituted a legal move on these matters against Folashade Abeo and his media ally in order to tame their negative activities which is targeted at disturbing the peace of this state”
