Ibadan, Nigeria — The Oyo State High Court has dismissed a ₦5 billion defamation suit filed by Chief Gani Adams, Aare-Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, against Yoruba Nation activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday by Justice O.T. Ademola-Salami, included an order for Adams to pay ₦500,000 in costs to Igboho.
Adams had accused Igboho of violating his fundamental rights by allegedly recording a private phone conversation without consent. In his suit (M/1006/2004), Adams argued that the act breached Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy.
“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,” Adams demanded through his counsel, Sikiru Akinrele.
However, during the hearing on April 30, 2025, Igboho’s legal team, led by Junaid Sanusi, submitted a counter affidavit challenging the validity of Adams’ claims. Sanusi pointed out that the affidavit supporting Adams’ suit was not personally deposed by Adams or an authorized representative, making it legally defective.
In his judgment, Justice Ademola-Salami affirmed this argument, stating that the affidavit lacked legal standing. He also noted that Adams failed to prove any concrete evidence that his phone had been tapped or that Igboho was responsible.
With the court’s dismissal of the case, the legal dispute between the two Yoruba leaders appears to have reached its end.
By Makinde oyinkansola| July 3, 2025
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