Iyabo Ojo to Naira Marley: You’ve defamed me because of Mohbad, pay me N500m or else

Renowned artist Afeez Fashola, widely recognized as Naira Marley, has asserted his claim for restitution, seeking a substantial sum of N500 million in damages from the prominent Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo. The basis for this demand revolves around allegations of defamation, where Naira Marley contends that Ojo tarnished his reputation by disseminating false information through her Instagram account regarding the demise of the singer known as Mohbad, or Ilerioluwa.

In the missive dispatched to the actress by Naira Marley’s legal representative, Olalekan Ojo, it is delineated that Ojo, in a September 2023 social media post, accused the singer of spiritually and physically harming the late Mohbad. The accusations extend to claiming that Naira Marley inflicted mental harm upon Mohbad. The singer’s legal team emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, portraying them as malicious and false, thus warranting the substantial damages sought.

The letter, penned with the gravity befitting an international figure like Naira Marley, references the artist’s engagement with the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). It underscores how Naira Marley, leveraging his significant following of over seven million, collaborated with the NDLEA to employ his influence in discouraging substance abuse among Nigerian youths. The missive highlights the iconic status of Naira Marley and implies that the accusations by Iyabo Ojo could potentially tarnish the positive impact he aims to make in combating substance abuse.

The intricacies of the letter assert that Ojo’s words, as conveyed on her official Instagram handle ‘iyaboojofespris,’ carried meanings that portrayed Naira Marley as a drug addict and implicated him in lacing the food and drinks provided to the boys under his care with drugs. The consequential harm, as suggested in the letter, is described as leading to the monumental destruction of their lives. This comprehensive recounting of events encapsulates the gravity of the situation and the nuanced complexities that form the crux of Naira Marley’s demand for damages.