Estate Agent Sues Community Leader, Others For N200m

A Lagos estate consultant, Chief Tesilimi Adeola Almaroof has instituted a N200 million libel suit against the Chairman of United Community Development Association, Ishawo, Mr. Abdul-Azeez Adeleke for defamation of character.

Also sued in a suit filed at the Ikorodu Division of the Lagos High Court through the law firm of John Olowo, were the Secretary of the community, Doyin Adenola and the community.

The plaintiff is claiming the amount jointly and severally against the defendants as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for libelous statement made by the defendants, concerning the plaintiff in a letter dated March 7, 2011 to the Governor of Lagos State and copied to some eminent personalities in Nigeria, including the Inspector General of Police, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Area ‘H’ Commander, Ogudu, Ojota, Divisional Police Officer, Owutu, Ishawo, Ikorodu, Lagos, Oba Abdul-Fatai Aromire Aremu Oyeyinka, the Ojora of Ijora Kingdom and Oba Salau Oyefusi Oguntade II, the Anyagburen of Ikorodu.

The defendants, especially the chairman of the association was alleged among others, to have maligned the reputation of the plaintiff during a world press conference at Community Hall, Igbo Olomu Junction, Lagos State on March 26, 2011.

Among the reliefs being sought by the plaintiff include an injunction restraining the defendants and each of them, whether by themselves or by their agents from further publication of the said libelous statement against the plaintiff.

In his statement of claim, Chief Almaroof averred that the said libelous publication in respect of the landed property at Ishawoland was to tarnish his image as a businessman and the head of Arota/Ologun ruling house of Orile Oshodi, Lagos State.

Chief Almaroof averred that having distributed the letters to the news media present at the conference, the defendants have disparaged him and made malicious remarks about him.