Former president of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Tee Mac Omastola Iseli has sued factional president of the Association, Pretty Okafor to court for N100m over allegations of libel, defamation and character assassination.
Speaking to the media after filing the suit at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday, December 7. Tee Mac said: “Everybody is aware of the antecedents of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) issues which have been personalised by the self-styled factional leader of PMAN in the person of Pretty Okafor, who has made it his pastime over the last five years to drag my name in the mud for cheap publicity despite knowing his allegations are based on lies about the PMAN land matter.
“After presenting the evidence with the original documents and a legal search report done by the Federal Capital Territory Administration that the land was an offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy and not a Certificate of Occupancy to the court, Pretty Okafor continues to give false statement to blogs and newspapers. Now, I am saying enough of that and that is the reason I am filing this suit today, Monday the 7th of December 2020 for a N100m libel against Pretty Okafor for defamation of my character.”
Among other issues in the suit filed by his lawyers, the flutist is asking for the sum of N100m as exemplary and general damages for the defendant’s act of defamation by the publication of libelous words, which includes malicious and defamatory statements that has cast aspersions on his character and integrity and lowered him in the sight of persons who hitherto held him in the highest regard.
According to Tee Mac, the defamatory statements have exposed him to hatred, ridicule and caused persons to avoid him, thereby discrediting him in his office, trade and profession, thus injuring his financial credits.
He stated that Okafor wants to curry PMAN members favour by blackmailing him, adding that over the years, he has built a good name and reputation in the society and stands in high estimation.
Hence he is a highly reputable member of the society who has achieved professional, business and academic success culminating in his being bestowed with a national honor, Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) aside being a visiting Professor to an Ivy League University in the United States.
Tee Mac through his lawyers is requesting an order from the court directing the Okafor to write a letter of an unreserved apology to be published in at least three national newspapers circulated in all parts of the country, within seven days of the judgment of the court.
He is also requesting an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further publishing or causing the defamatory words to be published.
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