Mohbad: Naira Marley Slams Iyabo Ojo N500 Million Lawsuit Over ‘Defamation’, Demands Public Apology

Afeez Fashola populary known as Naira Marley, the Nigerian singer and label owner, has taken actress Iyabo Ojo to court and is demanding a public apology from her for alleged defamation.

VerseNews reports that the singer’s lawsuit accuses the actress of publishing false and malicious content about him on her Instagram page.

In a letter sent to Ojo, Naira Marley’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, outlined the accusations made in a September 2023 post, stating that the actress accused Naira Marley of engaging in spiritual and physical dealings with the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, widely known as Mohbad.

Naira Marley through his lawyer is demanding that Ojo publish an apology on her official Instagram account and in a National Daily within 7 days of receiving the letter.

If she fails to do so, legal proceedings will commence, and Naira Marley will seek N500 million in damages from the actress.

In addition to Iyabo Ojo, Naira Marley previously filed a lawsuit against a Magistrate and the Police seeking damages and was released from prison after being held on allegations related to the death of his former signee Mohbad for over five weeks.

Iyabo Ojo had withdrawn her support for Naira Marley and accused him of giving drugs to her children, alleging that he rejected signing her adopted son under his label.

The singer’s demands and legal actions have sparked a public dispute with the actress and have been widely reported in the media.

The letter in part reads, “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 sometimes 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 or 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 libelous publication you had maliciously and falsely posted on your official instagram handle “iyaboojofespris” of and concerning our Client.”