By Lukman Olabiyi
Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams has told the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan that the Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, who filed a defamation suit against him, was a thug that possessed no noble character.
Adams made the claim in the statement of defence he filed to counter the N500 million defamation suit slammed on him by Igboho before the court.
Igboho, in the suit against Adams, is seeking an order compelling the defendant to pay him N500 million as aggravated damages over the leaked audio conversation, which he claimed impugned his reputation.
Igboho is also seeking, among others, “a declaration that the content of an audio clip between the defendant (Adams) and a third party named Nuru Banjo, which took place sometime in November 2021, and further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, is slanderous, libellous and defamatory”.
However, the defendant, in his defence filed before the court, stated that the claim of Igboho is gold-digging, outrageous, wide and wild, insupportable, and ridiculous, and should be dismissed with substantial costs awarded against the claimant. He averred that the claims of Igboho in the suit are mere falsehood, fabrications, and the figment of his imagination.
The defendant stated that he is a responsible, reputable, and notable national, traditional and cultural figure and a personality in Nigeria, committed to the peace, security, prosperity, and development of Nigeria, particularly the Yoruba land, who does not engage in frivolities, gossips, or baseless allegations.
He chronicled various reports and situations to affirm his claims on Igboho’s character and lifestyle.
Adams alleged that it was the claimant that has been ridiculing and deriding the status being Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland as a mere “Oyo Chief”. The defendant’s statement of defence is supported with an affidavit deposed to by Chief B. A.Tanimowo, the Atoloye Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land and a member of Aare in Council.