In a recent development, Afrobeats musician Azeez Fashola, widely known as Naira Marley, has demanded a public apology from Nollywood actor Iyabo Ojo. This request comes in response to defamatory remarks made by Ojo regarding Naira Marley’s alleged involvement in the death of Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
Naira Marley’s legal team, in a letter of demand dated December 12, 2023, accused Iyabo Ojo of spreading malicious and false information on her Instagram handle. The letter referenced a specific Instagram post where Ojo insinuated that Naira Marley played a role in Mohbad’s death, accusing him of dealing with the late singer “spiritually, mentally, and physically.”
The defamatory post, according to Naira Marley, has subjected him to public ridicule and contempt, resulting in damage to his reputation. The musician has now requested a public apology to be published on Iyabo Ojo’s Instagram handle and in a national daily. Failure to comply within ten days could lead to legal action, including a demand for 500 million naira in compensation.
The letter stated that the defamatory words used by Ojo suggested that Naira Marley is a drug addict who laced the food and drinks given to individuals staying with him with drugs, causing significant harm to their lives. The legal team argued that the publication has caused colossal damage to Naira Marley’s reputation.
The letter reads in part, “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 aboveheaded subject matter.
“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.”
