The Nigeria Institute of Public Relations has appointed seasoned media mogul Dr. John Momoh (OON) as the pioneering Chairman of the Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NRMG)’s Body of Advisers in a bold move to improve how it tells its story and manages its global image.  ,
During the 2025 Nigerian Public Relations Week held in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom, Dr. Momoh, the chairman and CEO of Channels Media Group, was honored with the prestigious position.
The renowned broadcast journalist and media executive was chosen in recognition of his decades-long contribution to fair journalism, media excellence, and reputation management in Nigeria and other countries.
“Call to National Duty”
The Channels Media Group chief described the appointment as an honor and a call to national service in his acceptance speech at the ceremony, which was attended by industry leaders, senior government officials, public relations experts, and other dignitaries from all over the nation.  ,
He continued, noting that the NRMG’s task is “to reclaim and reposition the reputation of our great country,” adding that “I consider this appointment to be a call to national duty. I take it all seriously and resolve.”  ,
He does not, however, believe that putting together a new image for Nigeria is necessary.
In this regard, I want to make a sincere appeal to our fellow Nigerians, both at home and abroad, especially those who may feel dissatisfied or depressed by the state of the country, Dr. Momoh told the gathering in Akwa Ibom, a coastal city.
“I fully understand your frustrations, which are real and valid.” But keep in mind that we don’t tear down our country with our words.
“Amplify the good, stop disinformation”
Dr. Momoh urged caution while highlighting the power of social media.
Every negative comment, every careless comment, and every harsh generalization, especially when they are spread globally, further degrade the image we all hope to change.
“We must use it to express our opinions, promote truth, support national initiatives, and counter misinformation,” said Dr. Momoh.
Let our digital footprints show how important our country is to us, even as we hold it to higher standards. We must each play our part in keeping a reputation, which is a collective asset.
Dr. Momoh urges those in leadership to demonstrate “a serious, consistent commitment” in the same way that citizens do crucially in maintaining a strong reputation.  ,
If those given the task of serving in public office do not fulfill their duties, he said, “we cannot rebuild trust in Nigeria’s image.”
Therefore, I urge government and public officials to lead by example, uphold transparency, fulfill their obligations, speak truthfully to citizens, and act with integrity.
The credibility of a country depends on its leaders, saying, “The credibility of a country is only as strong as its own credibility.” People follow with pride when leadership inspires trust.
The Nigeria Customs Service’s Comptroller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, was named Vice Chairman, and Mohammed Kudu Abubakar, who was appointed Secretary, are other important appointments for the advisory body.
READ ALSO: IPIE Appoints John Momoh, a media entrepreneur, on the board.
Dr. Momoh made a courtesy visit to Pastor Umo Eno, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, and the  earlier this week and before his installation.
To support the state’s ARISE Agenda, which promotes inclusive development and reforms of governance, both parties pledged to work together more closely.
With over 1, 000 delegates in attendance, the installation was one of the opening events of the nation’s largest public relations professional conference, 2025 Nigerian Public Relations Week.
Professionals from a variety of industries, including government, corporate, and security organizations, are gathered for the annual event.
Engage in constructive criticism
Mohammed Idris, the minister of information, urged public relations professionals to use deliberate and strategic communication strategies to win over the President’s administration during the opening ceremony.
He praised the practice’s long-standing support, but he also emphasized the need for more proactive initiatives to influence public attitudes and promote national unity.
The Federal Government’s ongoing reforms will undoubtedly boost the economy for all Nigerians’ benefit. The Minister urged people to voice their opinions and support credible governance narratives.
President and CEO of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Dr. Ike Neliaku made a note of the crucial role communication plays in governance and development in his welcome address.
Delegates from more than 120 nations will be able to attend the 2026 World Communication Week in Nigeria, according to him.
Senator Akon Eyakenyi, the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom and the governor who was present at the event, reiterated the importance of public relations in promoting development through image-building and public trust.
She urged practitioners to use their expertise to promote government initiatives and promote peace.
In a new six-part documentary about her pregnancy and what she calls a “new chapter in her life,” brave twins from new mother Jesy Nelson will be shown for the first time on screen.
Fans will get to know about Jesy’s difficult pregnancy and meet the twins Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster in a Prime series.
As Jesy shared a photo on social media with the streaming giants, the streaming giants have now officially confirmed their partnership. Jesy and her partner Zion Foster were relieved to learn that the twins were born.
Jesy expressed her excitement and pride at the announcement that we have been shooting our own series for Amazon. We had a conversation at Navybee with producer Gavin Evans and creative director Demi Doyle, and it wasn’t an easy choice because the film was so intimate, but I wanted to tell my story in my own words.
The upcoming documentary will feature both Jesy Nelson and Zion Foster.
The former Little Mix singer recently announced that their twins (jesynelson/Instagram) are safe to travel with.
As I prepare to become the first mother of our gorgeous baby girls Ocean and Story, I’m really looking forward to letting you all in. You’ll see all the highs, lows, and rollercoaster of emotions we’ve been going through because it’s been such a high risk pregnancy, let me be honest. I’m truly open, say goodbye to the past, and begin this new chapter in my life with you all. I’m happy to see you enjoying it as much as we do.
Prime has promised to “share her truth like never before,” and the footage will include” weekly hospital visits and candid conversations,” as well as her family’s unwavering support.
But the motherhood-related documentary also addresses the past, and she will also confront her former self and discuss her controversial exit from Little Mix in 2020, breaking her silence on the controversies that followed along with her battle with mental health and fame. She will then move on to Zion and the Twins, her newest chapter.
Before giving birth, Jesy was residing in a hospital (INSTAGRAM).
The births of Jesy and Zion were planned after 32 weeks, and they have been living in a London hospital for the past two months. According to Jesy’s announcement on Instagram, the babies were born after 31 weeks and five days.
She continued, “We are so blessed that they are here with us, healthy and fighting strong, but it all happened so quickly.” We’ve never experienced love like this.
Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare condition that could have claimed the lives of one or both twins, was treated in emergency surgery in April by former Little Mix star Jesy. Although the operation was successful, Jesy and Zion continued to be hospitalized until the babies were born.
Zion stated in the Mirror shortly before their birth that “Jesy and the twins have overcome a lot.” We doubted that we would get to where we are now because of how many times during this pregnancy.
When Jesy and Zion were on camera filming for the Prime documentary team while she was nursing their baby, there will be heartfelt scenes and they will discuss how close they are to losing their babies.
Then, it will capture their joy as parents, and it will begin filming in the upcoming weeks and days to show their first steps with the twins.
From the moment we met Jesy, she has welcomed us into her world with such sincerity and heart. Demi Doyle, Creative Director and Executive Producer, for makers Navybee. She chose to open up in the most brave and beautiful way possible during such a traumatic and life-changing time.
We’ve followed every raw emotion, every high and low, and the deeply personal events that have shaped this brand-new chapter of her life with her amazing partner Zion by her side. This is more than just a journey to becoming a mother; it’s also a positive, heartfelt step forward and a chance for Jesy to finally share her story. We consider it to be truly special and honorable to be a part of this journey.
“We are thrilled to be working with the talented Demi Doyle and the fantastic team at Navybee to bring Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix to Prime Video,” said Prime Video UK’s Hannah Blyth. We are extremely grateful to Jesy for revealing her life to the cameras during such a pivotal and impactful year for her as she embraces new motherhood and considers her experiences beyond the headlines. The series will provide an intimate look at Jesy’s journey, which will be a powerful account of her journey.
We’re confident that her honesty and strength will inspire the attention of our Prime Video viewers as she enters the new year with new clarity and a fresh sense of self.
Zion claimed in an interview last month that he and Jesy were closer because of their early pregnancy.
He stated, “Practically speaking, we’ve grown to know each other more deeply. And I believe we are fully aware of our shared concern for one another.
“I believe that you become extremely aware of the meaning of your relationship and the love you have.” And I believe Jess and I have both discovered that we are genuinely made for one another.
Jesy from Romford, East London, rose to fame in 2011 with ITV’s The X Factor, where she continued to work until 2020. Since November 20, 2022, she has been dating South London’s Zion. Since talking about the struggles of the twins, the couple has received thousands of messages of support from the general public.
Zion previously claimed that Jesy used to read them frequently while she was expecting and that she found them comforting. The level of support has been truly incredible, he said. It has been truly amazing. And I give Jesy a huge, massive, massive credit because it’s obviously difficult to actually share that when things like this happen.
Jess, however, had the guts to say, “You know what?” This is the story I want to tell. I want people to enter. It’s not just about sharing the good times, I want people to know. I want people to be aware of the situation. And just to see how well people responded, how many messages started coming in every day, and how many people still supported them.
People were asking, “Oh, is everything okay? ” even after the operation when Jess was recovering and we didn’t say anything for a while. I don’t know if the word “motivational” is used, but it just seems so touching and really keeps us moving.
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In light of rumors about her marriage to pop star Justin Bieber, model Hailey Bieber, daughter of Stephen Baldwin, has declared that postpartum life has been “very difficult.”
Lauren Del Fabbro, PA Entertainment Reporter, and Zoe Delaney, Assistant Showbiz Editor
Hailey Bieber says postpartum life has been ‘difficult’ amid marriage speculation(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Model Hailey Bieber has opened up about the “very difficult” postpartum period, amidst rumours surrounding her marriage to pop sensation Justin Bieber. The couple, based in Los Angeles, are often the subject of media speculation, with Hailey describing their life under constant scrutiny as “crazy life to live”.
The model-turned-businesswoman, who founded the skincare and cosmetic brand Rhode, also mentioned that giving birth to son Jack Blues Bieber in August of last year was one of the “hardest things” she’s ever done after an 18-hour labor.
Hailey stated in a direct interview with Vogue that being postpartum is “the most sensitive time I’ve ever gone through in my life, and learning a new version of myself is very challenging.
Hailey Bieber is still happily married to the Canadian pop star(Image: Getty Images)
It is such a mindf*** to be doing that all the while surfing the internet every day and hearing people say, “They’re getting divorced and they’re this and they’re not happy. I’m unable to even describe it. It’s a crazy way to live.
“I don’t accept that I’m in a place,” I say. I no longer permit it. If we don’t want those things to enter our space, we can’t.
Continue reading the article.
Being the niece of Alec, William and Daniel Baldwin and the daughter of US actor Stephen Baldwin, Hailey is a member of the Baldwin family. In a private ceremony in New York in 2018, she and Justin tied the knot. They both achieved fame as a teen singer with hits like Baby, Love Me, and Sorry.
Hailey acknowledged her struggle to be seen as authentically by saying, “I feel like I’ve fought so hard to make people understand me, or know who I am, or see me for myself. And there are times when people don’t want to.
There is nothing you can do about that, she said, referring to the powerlessness of correcting false narratives. I’ve tried to tell my side of the story, correct a narrative, or tell the truth, but the truth is that she lies. Imagine how it feels to be a trap.
Hailey also shared the wisdom she gained from Justin’s fame: “I’ve learned a lot from Justin, really. He has been subjected to the strictest scrutiny of anyone I know because he has literally been doing it since he was a child. He said, “Beautiful, trust me, I’ve been here before, many, many times.” You won’t succeed, I assure you. There is no winning. ‘”.
Before the arrival of her son Jack, the model meticulously prepared for childbirth, engaging in breathing exercises, acupuncture, yoga, pelvic-floor therapy, workouts, walking and weight training, claiming that she “felt stronger physically” than ever prior to the birth. Reflecting on her pregnancy, she admitted: “The pregnancy was difficult for me to wrap my head around. It was a surprise, and you go through a lot of emotions.”
There are some warnings: Your life will never be the same again, she said, underscoring the significant change that motherhood is about to bring. Although it changes well, it won’t stay the same. You’ll never again be a single person without a child. And you won’t just be your partner and you alone, just you two. There was a lot for my mental health.
Hailey had to go through an 18-hour induced labor after leaking amniotic fluid at 39 weeks, despite all the preparations. She admitted that giving birth was the hardest decision she had ever made, blaming the fact that she had experienced significant changes as a mother.
You’re not the same person you were before, Hailey continued. You undergo a head-to-toe change. And I believe there was a point where I genuinely rushed to regain my former self.
I then had to accept that I’m not going back, and I had to go through that. So what exactly do I want to do next? What do I hope to become? I’m a lot more likeable than I ever have been.
The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada have “strongly opposed” Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, and they are threatening to “take concrete steps” if Israel doesn’t put an end to its siege and put restrictions on aid delivery to the Palestinian enclave.
In a statement released on Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said they also oppose settlement expansions in the occupied West Bank. As Gaza continues to be the focus of the world’s attention, settler violence has risen in the occupied West Bank. Nearly 1, 000 Palestinians have been killed and thousands displaced in Israeli raids.
The Netherlands’ request to review a trade agreement with Israel comes weeks after the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has increased its bombardment of Gaza in response to an aid embargo that has been in place since March 2.
Western countries backed Israel’s right to self-defence when Netanyahu’s government launched a devastating offensive in Gaza on October 7, 2023. More than 53, 000 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, which also destroyed large areas of Gaza.
On Tuesday, the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that Israel has the right to defend itself, but its current actions go beyond proportionate self-defence.
What actions might Western nations take against Israel, and has Israel’s most recent attack in Gaza forced them to change their positions? Here is what you need to know:
What were the words of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada?
The countries ‘ three leaders criticised Israel’s renewed Gaza offensive, while describing the “human suffering” of Palestinians in the coastal enclave as “intolerable”.
They added that Israel’s announcement to provide some aid was “wholly inadequate.”
“If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response”, the leaders ‘ statement said.
The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the population risks breaking international humanitarian law, according to the statement.
” We condemn the abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli Government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate. International humanitarian law is violated by permanent forced displacement.
The three Western leaders said that while they supported Israel’s right to defend itself following Hamas’s attack on October 7″, this escalation is wholly disproportionate”.
They remarked, “We will not sit back and watch as the Netanyahu government continues these vile actions.”
On Tuesday, the UK announced it would suspend trade talks with Israel over the Gaza war. Additionally, it imposed sanctions on settlers and Palestinian-supporting organizations.
Israel’s conduct in its war on Gaza and the government’s support for illegal settlements is” damaging our relationship with your government”, said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Regarding the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, my joint statement is with @EmmanuelMacron and @MarkJCarney. pic. twitter.com/76vYpB42xf
Nine aid trucks were allowed to enter Gaza on Monday despite intense international pressure, prompting accusations that Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war.
However, the United Nations ‘ relief chief Tom Fletcher called the entry of the trucks a” drop in the ocean”, adding that” significantly more aid must be allowed into Gaza”.
Fletcher called the number 14, 000 Palestinian babies “utterly chilling” on Tuesday when he warned that if aid didn’t arrive, they could die in 48 hours. Some half a million people in Gaza, or one in five Palestinians, are facing starvation due to the Israeli blockade.
The 2.3 million people in Gaza are in acute need of food, with the 2.3 million people who are starving, resorted to eating animal feed and flour mixed with sand.
The UN humanitarian office’s spokesman Jens Laerke said on Tuesday that about 100 more trucks have been approved by Israel to enter Gaza.
The leaders of the UK, France, and Canada opposed all attempts to expand Israeli settlements because they are “illegal and undermine the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians,” according to the leaders of the UK, France, and Canada, shifting their focus to the occupied West Bank.
” We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions, “they said.
The statement made by the UK, Canada, and France is “reflective of states wanting to backtrack and try to cover up their complicity,” according to Yara Hawari, co-director of Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Network, highlighting that the situation in Gaza is the “worst that it has ever been” and that the genocide is escalating to new levels of cruelty and inhumanity.
” They can point to the statement and say, you know, well, we did … stand up against it, “Hawari told Al Jazeera, adding that none have stopped arms sales to Israel.
Hawari specifically made a reference to the role of the UK, claiming that it was “particularly complicit in this””. There are reports coming out every day on how many weapons have been transferred from the UK to Israel over the course of the last 19 months, “she said.
Palestinians who have fled from Khan Younis, Gaza, on May 19, 2025, as a result of the ongoing Israeli military offensive there. ]Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo]
What other statements have been made by Western nations?
Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said on Tuesday that her country will push for EU sanctions against Israeli ministers because of insufficient steps to protect civilians in Gaza.
We need to change the tone because we don’t see a noticeable improvement in Gaza’s civilian population. We will therefore now also push for EU sanctions against individual Israeli ministers, “Stenergard said in a statement.
Jean-Noel Barrot, the country’s foreign minister, requited that Israel’s “blind violence” and the humanitarian aid stop.
On Monday, 24 countries, overwhelmingly European ones, issued a joint statement saying Israel’s decision to allow a” limited restart “of aid operations in Gaza must be followed by a complete resumption of unfettered humanitarian assistance.
The foreign ministers of nations like Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and the UK all signed it.
Meanwhile, the European Union’s top diplomat, Kallas, has decided to order a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a free trade deal between the two regions.
Kallas informed Al Jazeera that the Netherlands earlier this month had requested that Article 2 of the Association Agreement be reviewed, which requires that both parties adhere to human rights.
The move has been backed by other member states, including Belgium, France, Portugal and Sweden.
The recent criticism from Western capitals, according to Robert Patman, a professor of international relations at the University of Otago in New Zealand, was in part due to public pressure.
” I think there’s a sense that in liberal democracies, they can’t ultimately be indifferent to public concern about the situation … I think another factor is a perception among many countries that]US President Donald] Trump himself is getting impatient with the Netanyahu government, “he told Al Jazeera.
According to Patman, many nations in the Global South were more quick to condemn Israel’s actions because they had previously experienced colonialism.
” They have a history of having to struggle for their own political self-determination, and given that experience, they can empathise with the Palestinians who’ve been denied the right, “he said.
Palestinians mourn the families of the deceased in the May 20th, 2025 Israeli airstrike at the hospital’s morgue. ]Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo]
What has Israel done to combat it?
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday criticised Carney, Macron and Starmer following their joint statement.
The leaders of London, Ottawa, and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 by calling on Israel to end a defensive conflict to stop Hamas terrorists from attacking our borders and launching a Palestinian state, he wrote on X.
By asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed and by demanding a Palestinian state, the leaders in London, Ottowa and Paris are offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more…
Meanwhile, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich lashed out at the three leaders, saying his country” will not bow its head before this moral hypocrisy, antisemitism, and one-sidedness”.
Smotrich accused the three nations of “morally aligning themselves with a terrorist organization” in a post on X.
In particular, Smotrich took issue with the three countries saying they are” committed to recognising a Palestinian state”.
He claimed that they have even attempted to reward terrorism by granting it a state.
Netanyahu’s government and his far-right coalition partners have been vocal against the realisation of a sovereign Palestinian state despite broad international support for the so-called two-state solution.
What exactly is “Operation Gideon’s Chariot”?
This major ground offensive, launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, came after days of intense bombardment that killed hundreds of Palestinians.
More than 200 people have died as a result of a constant barrage of strikes since Sunday.
Major hospitals, including the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, have been rendered nonoperational after attacks by Israeli forces. According to medical professionals, it could cause the deaths of tens of thousands of sick and injured people.
With the backing of Israel’s lethal air force, the operation is targeting both southern and northern Gaza.
The Israeli military claimed that the offensive was intended to expand “operational control” in the Gaza Strip. Israel says its campaign also aims to free the remaining captives held in Gaza and defeat Hamas.
However, Netanyahu has faced repeated criticism from Israeli society, including the families of the captives, for failing to prioritize their return. He has also rejected Hamas’s offers to end the war and free the captives.
After the body is removed from Nasser Hospital for burial in Khan Yunis on May 20, mourners from Mohammed Amin Abu Dhaka’s family, who was killed in the Israeli attack on the town of Abasan al-Kebira.
How will the Western actions impact Israel, and what’s next?
The UK, France, and Canada’s threats against Israel, according to Andreas Krieg, senior lecturer at King’s College London, set a precedent for other Western governments to follow.
” While it will not have a direct impact on Israel’s behaviour on the ground, it widens the boundaries of discourse internationally and makes it easier for other governments to openly stand against Israeli atrocities, “he told Al Jazeera.
The United States is still essential to a change of course in Israel, he said. The US supplies the bulk of arms to Israel as well as providing diplomatic cover at the United Nations.
However, there is a pronounced deterioration of international opinion regarding the portrayal of Israel, which makes it appear to be a rogue actor, according to Krug.
Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, told Al Jazeera that the” number one “thing the three countries could do was impose an arms embargo on Israel”. Some measures have been taken by the UK to halt some arms exports. It’s not enough. He said it needs to be thorough and in-depth.
Zomlot also said that the states should act to ensure that” war criminals “were” held accountable””. They must vouch for our efforts to establish the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, he added.
Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant face ICC arrest warrant for war crimes, but some European nations have said that they won’t arrest them.
The UN’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, questioned the intended purpose of the sanctions.
” Targeting whom? You must impose sanctions on the state. It’s not about the prime minister. She told Al Jazeera, “This is the entire government enterprise.”
Krieg from King’s College London says the reputational damage will affect Israel far beyond the current war in Gaza.
Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State, is facing charges of money laundering and theft in his trial worth $6.9 billion, but the Federal High Court in Lagos has reserved its decision.
After hearing arguments from Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, representor of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, and Olalekan Ojo, SAN, represent the second defendant, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN, heard from Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.
The EFCC re-arraigned Fayose and his business on an 11-count charge that included money laundering and theft.
Funds allegedly linked to the former National Security Advisor’s office were the alleged victims, who were also victims of the alleged crimes committed while Fayose was governor.
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According to Chief Agabi, the prosecution allegedly failed to establish a prima facie case in response to his client’s no-case submission from July 16, 2025.
He noted that the prosecution’s case was weakened by the fact that Abiodun Agbele, who was allegedly involved in the crimes, was not jointly tried.
The predicate offenses, on which these charges are based, are incontestable, with due respect. No co-conspirator was charged alongside the defendant, Agabi claimed, and criminal breach of trust and conspiracy are distinct.
He urged the court to accept that Fayose has no legal argument to address.
Similar to this, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, the second defendant’s attorney, filed a no-case submission on March 21, 2025, and the supporting documents on May 16.
He argued that important prosecution witness testimony was discredited, particularly that of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a former minister of state for defense, who claimed there was no communication between Fayose and then-NSA Col. Sambo Dasuki.
Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the EFCC’s attorney, urged the court to reject the no-case arguments in response.
He argued that the defense failed to explain the suspicious transactions by adopting the prosecution’s counteraffidavit and written address from May 8, 2025.
Jacobs questioned Fayose’s refusal to transfer funds from his account if they were legitimate.
He recalls testimony from EFCC investigator Abubakar Madaki, who claimed Fayose purchased numerous properties in Abuja, Lagos, and other locations while later claiming they were owned by Fayose in a statement.
Why not purchase the properties in his name if the money was safe? Jacobs inquired.
He also made mention of Obanikoro’s assertion that Fayose requested the funds in cash and introduced Agbele to facilitate the handover, underscoring that the defendant has questions to ask and to respond.
Following the submissions, Chief Agabi requested and obtained permission to travel to other countries for medical reasons.
Justice Aneke extended the case’s hearing until July 10, 2025, so that the decision on the no-case submission was final.
Fayose was initially deposed in 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, but the EFCC later secured Justice Aneke’s release.
allegedly bypassing financial institutions, Fayose allegedly obtained $1.2 billion from Obanikoro for his 2014 gubernatorial campaign and allegedly obtained $5.5 million in cash from him.
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has ordered a social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) to pay the sum of ₦200, 000 as fine after dismissing his preliminary objections to the ₦1 billion defamation suit instituted against him by human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, and his son, music artiste Folarin Falana, also known as Falz.
Justice Fimisola Azeez held that the applications lacked merit and consequently awarded a total cost of ₦200, 000 against VDM — ₦100, 000 each in favour of Femi and Folarin Falana. The judge also directed the defendant to immediately file his defence in both suits.
The Falanas are seeking redress over a video published by VDM on his Instagram page (@verydarkblackman) on September 24, 2024.
According to the claimants, the video was defamatory and injurious to their reputation, and they are each claiming ₦500 million in damages, bringing the total claim to ₦1 billion.
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At the hearing, Femi Falana was represented by his lawyers, Ernest Olawanle and Femi Akinyemi, while his son, Folarin, was present in court. VDM was absent but was represented by his counsel, Marvin Omorogbe.
In their suits, the claimants alleged that VDM made libellous, scandalous, and defamatory remarks targeting them in his video. They are asking the court to declare the publication as defamatory and to issue a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agents, or any associates from making or distributing similar statements in the future.
They further requested an order compelling VDM to publish a public apology on all his social media platforms and in a national newspaper.
VDM, in response, had filed a preliminary objection seeking to dismiss the suits for lack of jurisdiction. He argued that the Lagos High Court did not have the authority to entertain the matter, claiming the alleged offences were committed outside its jurisdiction.
However, the claimants filed a counter-affidavit along with a written address, urging the court to reject the objection.
Justice Azeez ruled in their favour, dismissed VDM’s application, and ordered him to respond to the substantive defamation claims.
The judge then adjourned the case to July 8 for mention and to allow the defendant to file his statement of defence.
This development follows an earlier ruling by Justice Mathias Dawodu of another Lagos State High Court, who on April 15, 2025, struck out a related pre-emptive action filed by the claimants. Justice Dawodu held that the matter had become academic due to the pendency of the substantive defamation suit before Justice Azeez.
On October 14, 2024, the Falanas had secured an initial pre-emptive order, prompting them to file a substantive suit. VDM responded with another preliminary objection, alleging multiplicity of actions and seeking a stay of proceedings. Justice Dawodu determined, however, that the application had no legal justification because the actual issue was already being litigated in a competent court.
Justice Dawodu stated in his decision to reject the preliminary objection that “the matter cannot no longer stand because it has no legs, and that supporting the case amounts to a waste of time.”
