A Canada-Based Yoruba culture and traditions’ promoter, Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye, has dragged a Nigerian actress, Mrs Elizabeth Anjorin-Lawal, to a Lagos High Court, sitting in Lagos for defamation, claiming a N30 million compensation for damages done to him as a result of a libelous publication against him on her Instagram page on January 30th and February 1st, 2021.
The suit, No. LD/ADR/3481/2021, which has Lizzy Anjorin-Lawal as the only defendant, was supported with 13 paragraphs affidavit, detailing how the defendant allegedly defamed the claimant on her social media page.
Oyatoye, in the suit, claimed that the defendant was contracted to participate in the Asa 2018 programme and that all issues relating to her participation and engagement in the Asa 2018 programme were sorted out effectively and conclusively.
He also claimed that he was however surprised when on January 30th, 2021, he was called by a lot of people who are his acquaintances, saying that they saw a post on social media attributable and attributed to the defendant (Elizabeth Anjorin-Lawal), titled: ‘The Fraudster of Manitoba and the Fraudster of Winnipeg,’ which alleged that he perpetrated fraud on the defendant and the people related or connected with the defendant, which the defendant allegedly introduced to him.
Oyatoye, according to the writ of summons, however stated that there is no justification for Anjorin-Lawal to issue the post.
Also in the writ of summon, the claimant, Oyatoye, averred that the content of the post is damaging and disparaging and brought him to utter contempt, disrepute and odium in the estimation of right thinking members of the Nigeria public and Nigerians in the Diaspora, who know the claimant as a projector, enabler, and promoter of the Yoruba culture, custom and tradition.
He declared in the suit that he was compelled to brief a firm of solicitors – Messrs Eko Akete Chambers – on February 1st, 2021, to complain of the defamatory content of the post of the defendant against him.
Oyatoye further averred that Messrs Eko Akete Chambers was compelled to write a letter to the defendant on same February 1st, 2021, addressed and delivered to the defendant on same February 1st.
He averred further that in spite of the delivery of the letter to the defendant,
(Elizabeth Anjorin-Lawal), on February 1st, 2021, the defendant disregarded the letter and proceeded to issue, publish and commissioned the publication of a further defamatory post against him, with further and assured recklessness.
Oyatoye, therefore, asked the court to order the defendant to promptly and immediately withdraw the post put on Instagram, and other social media platforms; tender an unreserved apology, to be posted on the same Instagram and other social media platforms in which the original defamatory words were aired or posted; and pay him N30 million as damages for the wrongful and unlawful assassination of his character, as well as perpetual injunction against the defendant from engaging in any other damaging post on social media or any other platform concerning, touching and or affecting him.
Meanwhile, Olaniyi, at the weekend, in a statement alleged threat to his life, following the legal action against Anjorin-Lawal.
He claimed that since he filed the court action, he has been harassed and double crossed by unknown persons, threatening him to withdraw the case or face the consequences.
He said the Police is currently investigating the matter.
