The Founder of Sahara Reporters, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, has reacted to the libel suit filed against him by the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry, Dr Daniel Olukoya, demanding N10bn in damages.
The founder of the #TakeItBack movement said that the GO sent a Unilag Alumni official, Aaron Akinloye, to request a meeting between him and the new Vice-Chancellor of Unilag, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe.
Sowore in a Facebook post alleged that Dr Olukoya had been threatening “brimstone and fire” since he rejected the meeting with him.
He said Aaron claimed that Olukoya was doing wonders for Unilag and wanted him to stop Sahara reporters from negative reports against the “man of God.”
Sowore further said no one should be worried about the libel suit adding that these “fakes” will meet their waterloo someday soon in a new Nigeria.
Sowore wrote;
“Earlier this Year This Same “Pastor” And GO Olukoya Sent A UNILAG Alumni Official, Aaron Akinloye To Ask For A Meeting Between Him, The New Vice Chancellor Of UNILAG, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe And Myself, Aaron Claimed He (Olukoya) Was Doing Wonders For UNILAG And Wanted Me To Stop SaharaReporters From Negative Reporting Against Pastor Olukoya, I Refused!
“I Told Aaron I am Only Interested In Meeting Prof. Ogundipe To Discuss The Unjust Rustication Of Femi Adeyeye (A Student Activist Who Was Rusticated For Two Years Over His Criticisms Of The UNILAG Senate On Facebook)
“Since I Rejected A Meeting With Olukoya, The GO has Gone Bunkers Threatening Brimstone And Fire.
“I Am Not Surprised His Forum-Shopped To Uyo To Find A Judge Willing To Do His Bidding (Maybe).
“However, No One Should Be Worried, These Fakes Will Meet Their Waterloo Someday Soon In A New Nigeria.
“They Will Gang Up Left, Right And Center But Nothing Can Stop An Idea Whose Time Has Come!”
In the suit filed before the Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo, the MFM founder said he was constrained to take legal action against Sowore, his online platform, Sahara Reporters Incorporated and the Incorporated Trustees of Sahara Media Foundation for their alleged failure to desist from publishing false and malicious articles against him and his church, MFM, since 2013.
The cleric said despite complaints, Sowore and his Sahara Reporters remained intransigent and continued to publish offending stories about him and his church.
Olukoya said he had earlier demanded that Sahara Reporters pull down all the offending stories against him and his church within seven days but Omoyele and his platform refused.
He said having failed to take advantage of the seven days he gave them, he had no other option but to sue them.
The Incorporated Trustees of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries was listed as the first claimant while Olukoya was the second claimant in the suit marked HU/250/2018.
Joined as defendants were Sowore, Incorporated Trustees of Sahara Media Foundation and Sahara Reporters. Apart from the N10bn damages, the cleric and his church are praying the court to order the defendants to “pull down and erase each of the offending stories from the Internet forthwith.”
They also want the court to compel Sowore and Sahara Reporters to “tender a written apology and retraction, published prominently in their online news report and in at least three nationally circulating newspapers and two international magazines, including TIME International.”
The claimants are also praying for an order of perpetual injunction, “restraining the defendants by themselves, their agents, servants, privies or other persons, howsoever called or described from further publishing and/or disseminating libellous stories and statements against the claimants.”
