Falana vs. VeryDarkMan: A Reputation at Stake.

The "Very Dark Man" case, which has garnered significant media attention, involved a defamation lawsuit filed by prominent Nigerian lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, rapper Folarin Falana (known as Falz), against social media personality Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan. The case centered around defamatory statements that VeryDarkMan made in September 2024, where he linked the Falanas to a bribery scandal involving popular crossdresser Bobrisky.

VeryDarkMan had shared these claims on his social media platforms, alleging that the Falanas were connected to bribery dealings with Bobrisky. The posts suggested that Falana and his son were involved in a scandalous transaction, which severely impacted their reputations. These allegations quickly spread across social media, prompting Femi Falana to take legal action.

In court, Falana argued that VeryDarkMan knowingly published false information with the intent to damage their reputations. The court, presided over by Justice M.O. Idowu, ruled in favor of Falana and his son, ordering VeryDarkMan to immediately retract the defamatory statements and remove all related content from his social media pages. The court further awarded ₦500 million in damages to the Falanas as compensation for the harm caused.

Justice Idowu noted that VeryDarkMan's actions were deliberate and that the false accusations continued to spread due to the ongoing availability of the posts online. The judgment emphasized the continuous harm to the Falana family's reputations, reinforcing the need for immediate action to stop the defamation.

This case highlights the significant legal consequences of making unverified and defamatory claims online, particularly against high-profile individuals like Femi Falana, who is known for his human rights activism.