Stomach surgery stalls hearing of Tuface Idibia’s N53 million suit against Blackface

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Hearing in the N53 million defamations instituted by Innocent Idibia(Tuface Idibia), his manager and factional chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria(COSON), Efe Omorogbe against Augustine Ahmedu better known as Blackface could not go today as scheduled.

When the matter was called, counsel to the defence team was not available. But counsel to the claimant, Mr. Opeyemi Owolabi told the court that that the business of the day was hearing of the notice of preliminary objection, adding that the presence or absence of the defendant has no bearing since the defence did not file any response to application before the court.

But Justice Josephine Oyefeso informed the court that the defence counsel had written to court attributing his absence to an aliment that let to abnominal surgery.

But counsel to the claimant averred that the motion has been pendind since 17 April, 2019, and that the defence counsel had three months to do the needful and that his absence should not have any bearing on the matter since there are other lawyers in his chambers. “I shall be asking for cost of N100,000”, he said.

Justice Oyefeso has adjourned the matter till 2nd October to hearing of motions on notice.

Innocent Idibia and Efe Omoregbe are seeking a declaration that the statement published on the tweeter platform of the defendant on the 24th day of January 2016 is defamatory to the first and second claimants: a declaration that the statement published on the tweeter platform of the defendant is injurious to the reputation and business of the first and second defendants; declaration that the defematory statements made incited and caused to be published by the defendant on the 31 of January on 36.Ng.com is defamatory of the claimant’s person, character, office and profession.

They are also seeking further declaration that the statement as made in a interview incited and caused to be published on premiumtimes online on the 23 day of April 2017 is defamatory of the claimants; a declaration that the statement made by the defendant over video published by Pulseng on YouTube on the 6th day of November 2017 slandered the person, character, credibility and calling, trade and profession of the claimants

They also sought an an order of probibitory injunction, against the defendant preventing him from continued publication of the offensive statement defamatory of the first and second claimants as contained on his tweeter handle, Blackfacenaija and an order of probibitory injunction preventing the defendant from further making statements defamatory of the first and second claimants; an order of prohibitory injunction preventing the defendant from continued publication of the libelous and slandorous statements against the first and second claimants published on newsite or video.

Blackface has on several occasion accused 2Face Idibia of copyright theft, alleging that he remains the original owner of 2Face’s ‘Let Somebody Love You’ and was bent on disparaging the artiste. He claimed to have written the song while both were in the now defunct, musical group, Plantashun Boyz.