Yoruba Nation advocate Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, stated on Monday that he has yet to receive any formal court documents regarding an alleged defamation lawsuit filed by the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams. This legal dispute arises from accusations that Igboho unlawfully recorded and shared a private telephone conversation involving Adams without his permission.
The lawsuit, as initially reported by The PUNCH, was filed by Gani Adams at the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan. Adams, who also serves as the National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), has asserted that the release of this conversation without his consent has severely damaged his reputation and personal rights, particularly in his esteemed role as the Aareonakakanfo—a significant cultural title in Yorubaland. He is seeking N5 billion in damages as compensation for this alleged harm.
Filed on October 15, 2024, Adams’ court application also demands recognition of his rights to privacy, especially regarding his home, correspondence, and telecommunications. In his petition, he specifically requests that the court declare, “It is unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional for anyone to surreptitiously record the private telephone conversation between other persons without the consent and authority of the parties to the conversation.
“A declaration that it is unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional for the respondent to covertly record and publicly release or publish the private telephone conversation between the applicant and another person, without the consent and authority of the Applicant.”
Responding to these developments, Igboho’s legal representative, Mr. Junaid Sanusi, issued a statement on his behalf. According to Sanusi, “Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho is not aware of any suit between him and Mr. Gani Adams, except the defamation suit filed by Chief against Mr. Gani Adams for defamation which comes up on October 29, 2024.
“Therefore, Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho will want to wait until he is served with any court process, if any, before reaction will be made.
“Mind you, such reaction will be made only by filing appropriate court papers in reaction to any process that might have been filed by Mr. Gani Adams and not necessarily by joining issue with Mr. Gani Adams on the news media as you know it is not in the character of Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho to trade words in the media.”
