An Ogun State High Court in Isabo, Abeokuta, on Friday, ordered the Gbengande of Ososa Ijebu in Odogbolu Local Government Area, Oba Adetoye Alatishe, to pay N500 million in damages for defaming the character and integrity of the Chairman of Rite Foods, Dr. Sulaiman Adegunwa.
The court presided over by Justice E. Osinuga, also directed the monarch to publish an apology and retraction of the libellous publication in three national newspapers: *The PUNCH, The Nation,* and *ThisDay.* Additionally, the judge awarded N500,000 as litigation costs against Oba Alatishe and issued a perpetual injunction restraining him from further maligning Adegunwa’s reputation.
The case marked *4CJ/205/19* and filed on November 25, 2019, stemmed from a petition letter allegedly written by the monarch to former Governor Ibikunle Amosun on January 7, 2019, which contained defamatory statements against Adegunwa. The letter was later published in *City People Magazine* on August 7, 2019, and in *Obanta Newsday* in August 2019.
Adegunwa, who described the allegations as baseless, stated that his lawyers had demanded a retraction and apology from the monarch, but Oba Alatishe refused. Consequently, he sought legal redress to restore his reputation as an industrialist and philanthropist.
In his suit, Adegunwa sought a court declaration that the monarch’s statements constituted libel, as well as N5 billion in exemplary damages and a perpetual injunction against further defamatory publications.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Osinuga noted that the monarch failed to substantiate his claims, stating, *“When the Kabiyesi was asked how he came about the information as contained in the letter, he said some people told him, yet Kabiyesi was not ready to disclose these people.”*
The judge further ruled that Oba Alatishe acted improperly by refusing to apologize despite lacking evidence to support his allegations. She affirmed that a strong case of defamation had been established and ruled in favour of Adegunwa.
Dr. Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, OFR is a Nigerian Industrialist, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist whose business and philanthropic activities span over six (6) decades
