By Fasuyi Tolulope Samuel
In a high-profile defamation lawsuit between Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, his son, rapper Falz (Folarin Falana), and popular social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), the Lagos High Court has adjourned proceedings to January 23, 2025.
The court’s adjournment, due to incomplete application filings by both parties, stirred reactions online as the case continues to capture national attention.
The lawsuit revolves around a video posted by VeryDarkMan, where he alleged that the Falanas accepted a N10 million bribe from Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, to manipulate a legal outcome.
Femi and Folarin Falana responded by filing for N500 million in damages each, insisting the claims were baseless and defamatory. They argue that VeryDarkMan recklessly disregarded the truth, failing to verify allegations before publishing them, which they claim severely damaged their reputations.
Justice Matthias Dawodu, who presides over the case, issued an interim order mandating VeryDarkMan to delete the video published on September 24 and to refrain from releasing further defamatory content targeting the Falanas until the case is fully heard.
The court recognized the legal rights of the Falanas to protect their reputation from slanderous attacks on social media.
Despite the court order, VeryDarkMan has been vocal about his intentions. Just one day before the court appearance, he publicly vowed on Instagram not to apologize for his allegations, asserting his video exposed systemic corruption.
“I came to Lagos to face the Falana lawsuit. I defamed nobody; I just exposed corruption,” he declared defiantly, underscoring his disdain for the Falanas’ demand for an apology.
In an unexpected move, after the court adjourned the case, VeryDarkMan posted a celebratory video, energetically singing “We no lose o” in reference to the day’s outcome. The video has since gone viral, with viewers split between supporting his free speech claims and condemning his approach toward the Falanas.
VeryDarkMan’s position remains firm as he continues to denounce perceived hypocrisy within Nigeria’s legal and political frameworks, declaring, “I don’t fear anybody’s father.”
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