Nigerian musician, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has threatened to sue actress Iyabo Ojo for allegedly disseminating false and defamatory against him.
The rapper sent a letter to Iyabo through his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, where he outlined the accusations she made in an Instagram post in September 2023, accusing Naira Marley of engaging in spiritual and physical dealings with the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.
Naira Marley’s is demanding a public apology, and failure to so so will leave him with no choice than to get an injunction restraining her from talking about him and demanding N500 million in damages.
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 add!ct 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.”
It added; “Please be informed that failure to comply with out client’s demand will leave us with no other choice than to commence legal proceedings before the High Court of Lagos State against you for the following reliefs:
1) N500,000,000.00 being damages for the libel in respect of the words published of and concerning the Claimant (Azeez Fashola) (A.K.A. Naira Marley) on your Instagram handle.
2) Public apology.
3) Injunction restraining the Defendant by herself, her servants or otherwise howsoever from repeating the same or similar libel published of or concerning the Defendant on your (the Defendant’s instagram handle) or by any other means..”
