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 defamation suit against him, was a thug that possessed no noble character.
Adams made this averment in his statement of defence he filed to countered N500m 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 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 that took place sometime in November 2021 and further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, is slanderous, libelous 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 personality in Nigeria, committed to the peace, security, prosperity, and development of Nigeria, particularly Yoruba Land, who does not engage in frivolities, gossip, or baseless allegations.
Adams stated that contrary to the claimant’s alleged non-violent character, averred that with Igboho’s antecedents, he has indeed presented and manifested himself as a violent, crude, destructive, and wicked character of monumental dimensions.
He chronicled various reports and situations to affirm his claims on the claimant’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.