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US Court Slams $50,000 Fine On Nigerian Blogger For Defaming Olukoya

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A US-based Nigerian blogger, Funke Ashekun, has bagged a whopping $50,000 sentence in damages for defaming the General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Dr Daniel Olukoya.

The verdict was entered by a Baltimore County Circuit Court in the United States of America presided over by Theresa Adams.

Details of these were contained in a statement in Lagos, on Thursday by Dr Olukoya’s media aide, Collins Edomaruse.

Edomaruse disclosed that the jury held that the postings of Ashekun defamed the MFM and portrayed its pastors in a false light.

Delivering its judgment in the matter with Case Number: C-03-CV-22-004424, the court returned a unanimous verdict in favour of MFM USA and its three pastors, Grace Ugeh, Kunle Ladipo and Adekunle Adekola.

It averred that Ashekun, who recently relocated to the United States, “has been on social media, spreading all manners of falsehoods against the MFM Church and its General Overseer with the sole purpose of tarnishing and damaging the reputation of the respected man of God and that of his ministry.”

Reacting to the lawsuit filed against her, the YouTuber, in a video she posted to her YouTube channel on November 28, 2023, said MFM and three of its US-based pastors filed a suit against her and accused her of defaming their General Overseer.

He said, “I am now able to confirm to you and to formally do so now that I, Funke Ashekun, have been sued by a church in America. I want you to know I’ve been sued by a church in America.

“I’m also able to confirm that the name of the church that has taken me to court in America is Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, America.

“I am also able to confirm to you that I don’t know them, the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Imagine, people that I don’t know are suing me. What an Irony!

“The first one is Adekunle Adekola. He’s a pastor in Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Rockville, Maryland. The second person is Kunle Ladipo. He is also a pastor in Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Bowie, Maryland. And the third person is a woman, I am surprised. She is Grace Ugeh. She is also a pastor in Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries in California; one of their branches.

“Somebody even came from California to sue me in Maryland. These are people I don’t know. I have never been to their church here in America since we relocated. I saw two of them in court recently. But I don’t think I will still recognise them if I meet two of them on the way. I am surprised how a woman will come after me for speaking against sexual assault on women.”

Ashekun added that she was shocked about the lawsuit, stressing that she did not mention the name of any church or pastor in particular in any of her posts.

“I am talking about Pharaohs of our country. People that are supposed to be men of God; that people call men of God and reverence. I am talking about things going on in our churches, that there are sexual abuses going on in our churches. Women are becoming depressed. Some of them are becoming suicidal. They are being sexually molested seriously. And then a woman would come after me and take me to court for talking.

“I, also want to let you know that I, Olufunke Ashekun, am the respondent in this lawsuit in my personal capacity and to the exclusion of no other. These three people, they came after me. In fact, they came with two different lawsuits.

“One thing still shocks me, still baffles me that since I have started this programme, I have never mentioned the name of any church. When I talk about Pharaohs destroying women, destroying men, torturing, oppressing, sexually molesting women, young girls, even in the toilet, in church, inside what is supposed to be a sanctuary of God. Since I’ve started, I’ve never mentioned any church doing that.

“I’ve never mentioned the name of any pastor or any General Overseer. I have been talking about Pharaohs. Pharaoh is a Biblical name. We all know Pharaoh to be an oppressor of God’s children. It is a satirical name that I formed for this programme to pass all my messages because we need to speak out.

“We can’t keep quiet and allow these people to go on in our society,” she added.

On the judgment, Lead Counsel, MFM, Gilbert Garcia, said the “Church was gratified that the jury found in favor and vindicated our position,” according to the statement.

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Wike’s Wife, CJN’s Daughter-in-Law Nominated For Judicial Position

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The Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended Mrs. Justice Nyesom-Wike Suzzette, wife of the Federal Capital Territory’s Minister, Nyesom Wike, for a position on the Court of Appeal.

Suzzette, a former First Lady of Rivers State and currently a judge at the Rivers State High Court, is among 21 candidates proposed for elevation to the appellate court.

Additionally, Ariwoola Oluwemi Victoria, theP daughter-in-law of Niygeria’s Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has been recommended for a promotion to the Federal High Court in Abuja.

She is one of 12 judges selected for advancement to this court.

Justice Ariwoola is expected to bow out of Nigeria’s judiciary in August this year.The NJC, at the same meeting, barred two judges, Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court and Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court, from elevation to the Appeal Court for two to three years and issued them warning letters.

Justice Ekwo was reprimanded for the abuse of discretionary power by wrongly granting an ex-parte order in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 others Vs Seplat Energy Plc & 12 others.

He was barred from elevation for two years.

Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi received a warning letter for failing to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, suit No A/94/2010, after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.

He will not be elevated to a higher bench for three years.

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LSFRS, NNPC Ltd Sing Discordant Tunes Over Lagos Depot Fire

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A tank farm in the Apapa area of Lagos State went up in flames in the early hours of Friday.

A viral video of the sad incident, now making the rounds on social media platforms indicates that it is the property of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

The video was being traced to the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service (LSFRS).

However, the NNPC Ltd has denied that none of its facilities in the location was affected, it posited that the fire incident, from a pipeline, affected a farm tank belonging to Honeywell Oil and Gas.

Director, Public Affairs, LSFRS, Amodu Shakiru, has confirmed the incident, and that firefighting operations were ongoing as at the time of going to press.

Shakira said, “Yes, we just received a call from that area and the call came in at 11:27am.

“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service is attending to a fire outbreak at the new NNPC Terminal, formerly OVH, Kayode Street, Marine Beach, Apapa.

“The fire resulted from a spillage of petroleum products within the perimeter of the tank farm”.

In the same vein, Director and Chief Executive Officer, LSFRS, Margaret Adeseye, said concerted efforts with various emergency responders within the oil and gas industry were being made to contain the situation.

“The public is hereby assured that the emergency operations are under control from escalating further,” Adeseye stated.

However, the Punch cited Spokesperson, NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, as saying that the fire was not from the company’s depot but from HOGL.

“It is not at the NNPC, but at HOGL. The fire is at a pipeline at HOGL. The fire has since been extinguished. It’s at the Honeywell depot but it has now been extinguished. Not NNPC,” Soneye said.

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Alakija Hails Gov Adeleke

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The Chancellor of Osun State University and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, Folorunso Alakija has described Governor Ademola Adeleke as “an action Governor who is delivering good governance to the good people of Osun state”.

She bared her mind, while hosting Gov Adeleke at the Ikoyi headquarters of Famfa Oil Limited.

According to her, she she has been following activities of Gov Adeleke since he assumed office, and commended him for setting a good leadership example.

The billionaire businesswoman on the occasion flanked by two of her directors, Ladi and Folarin Alakija, noted that the Osun State Governor has been demonstrating strong passion for public service and pursuing a big agenda for the state.

She prayed to God Almighty to strengthen the Governor for a second term in office, as in her opinion, four years were not enough for an action governor like Gov Adeleke to deliver fully on his ambitious agenda for the state.

Reviewing her tenure as the Chancellor of the Osun State University, the Famfa boss recalled the conception and stages of completion of the UNIOSUN Medical Research and Training Hospital which she wholly donated and financed.

She pointed out that the project which is 95 percent completed was designed to serve the health needs of patients from far and near and elevate service to humanity to a higher level.

Earlier, Governor Adeleke, accompanied by the Vice Chancellor of the Osun State University, Prof Odunayo Clement Adebooye and other state officials, said he was ‘on a thank you visit to the business mogul to appreciate her huge contributions to the growth and development of the state university’.

Gov Adeleke expressed appreciation for the massive multi-billion naira Medical Research and Training hospital that Apostle Dr Alakija was building at the State university, describing Famfa boss as “a commendable role model in the field of philanthropy.

“We are here as a government to appreciate you. You are uncommon and rare in your love for service to humanity.”

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