A Canada-based Yoruba art and culture promoter, Mr Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye, has begged a Lagos High Court to impel Nollywood actress, Mrs Elizabeth Anjorin Lawal, popularly recognized as ‘Lizzy Anjorin’ to pay him N30 million for alleged defamation.
Oyate, popularly known as Baba Asa, is the plaintiff in the suit numbered LD/ADR/3481/2021, while Lizzy Anjorin is the sole defendant.
The user, in his February 23 statement of claim and a 13-paragraph affidavit, declared that the defendant defamed him on her social media page.
Baba Asa averred that he evolved conversant with the actress in the course of his business as a promoter and enabler of Yoruba art, culture and tradition in 2018 when he was preparing to organise the annual Asa Day for 2018 in Canada.
He averred that the actress was contacted to partake in the event and all problems relating to her participation and attention in the Asa Day 2018, were sorted out effectively and conclusively.
Baba Asa claimed that on January 30, 2021, several of his acquaintances notified him that they saw a post on social media associated with the actress named ‘The Fraudster of Manitoba and the Fraudster of Winnipeg’ which alleged that Baba Asa committed fraud on her and people related to her.
Baba Asa further noted that in response, he informed his counsel who wrote Lizzy Anjorin on February 1, and the letter was delivered to the actress at her business address in Lekki.
He claimed that despite collecting the letter, the defendant again went ahead to issue, disseminate and commissioned further defamatory posts against him.
He prayed the court to order Lizzy Anjorin to immediately delete all her defamatory posts on her Instagram handle and other social media platforms, tender a straightforward apology for her alleged action against him and pay him the sum of N30 million as damages for the wrongful and unlawful assassination of his personality.
He also prayed the court to grant an order of perpetual injunction preventing the defendant from engaging in any other damaging post on social media or any other platform, contact, touching or that will involve him.
Lizzy Anjorin is yet to file her defence.
