Kogi State High Court sitting at Ebogogo, Okene LGA has delivered its judgment in the case of defamation of character brought before it by Mr. Ibrahim Jibril Adavize through his counsel, H. A. Obeito Esq. of YK Classic Advocates of No. 1, Atta Road, Okene, Kogi State, seeking action against HRH Chief Idris Isiaka, the Ovanebira of Eganyi in Ajaokuta LGA.
Obeito who instituted the legal action on 14th March, 2024, insisted that the traditional title holder made defamatory statement against his client, Adavize while undergoing screening exercise before the Council of Kingmakers of Ebiraland for the revered stool of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland on 19th December 2023, at the Ohinoyi’s Palace, Okene, Kogi State.
The defendant, HRH Chief Idris Isiaka was served by substituted means on the order of the court, after all efforts to serve him personally failed.
In the eighteen months tussle, the defendant did not honor the invitation of the court, neither was he represented, despite the fact that Hearing Notices were served on him in all the adjourned dates.
Delivering the judgment in suit counsel No: HCEB/03CV/2024 – between Ibrahim Jibril Adavize vs HRH Chief Idris Isiaka, the Judge – His Lordship, Hon. Justice Abdullah Sulyman held that “. . . placing the pleadings and evidence with facts that they are not controverted on any imaginary scale, I am of the firm view that the claimant has established his entitlements to the reliefs sought and judgment is accordingly entered in his favour.”
The Court ordered as follows:
“It is declared that the slanderous publication made by the Defendant at the screening and interview exercise for appointment to the stool of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland held on 19/12/2023 wherein the defendant stated that the claimant is an oppressor, a liar, a betrayer, dishonors agreement and embezzled the defendant’s money to the tune of N4.2 million is highly slanderous, malicious, unsubstantiated and highly defamatory of the character and reputation of the Claimant.
“The sum of N1,500,000:00 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) is awarded to the claimant as general damages for the defamation of the character of the claimant through the slanderous statement made by the defendant against the claimant at the screening and interview exercise for appointment to the stool of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland held on 19/12/2023.
“It is ordered that the defendant submit to the claimant a written apology and sworn declaration of retraction of the defamatory words/statements made against the Claimant on 19/12/2023 at the Registry of this Honourable Court.
“An order of perpetual injunction retraining the defendants either by himself, his servants, agents or otherwise howsoever from further publishing or causing to be published, similar defamatory statements/words as the one made on 19/12/2023 before the kingmakers’ council.
The court also ruled that the defendant should pay the claimant the cost of the legal action put at N200,000:00 (two hundred thousand Naira), only.
