Mary Nnah
Former PMAN president, Tee Mac Omastola Iseli has sued factional PMAN president, Pretty Okafor to court for N100m over allegations of libel, defamation and character assassination. The suit was filed on Tuesday, Dec. 7 at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Speaking with newsmen after filing the suit, Tee Mac said: “Everybody is aware of the antecedents of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) issues which have been personalised by the self-styled factional leader of PMAN in the person of Pretty Okafor, who has made it his pastime over the last five years to drag my name in the mud for cheap publicity despite knowing his allegations are based on lies about the PMAN land matter.
“After presenting the evidence with the original documents and a legal search report done by the Federal Capital Territory Administration that the land was an offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy and not a Certificate of Occupancy to the court, Pretty Okafor continues to give false statement to blogs and newspapers. Now, I am saying enough of that and that is the reason I am filing this suite today, Monday the 7th of December 2020 for a N100m libel suit against Pretty Okafor for defamation of my character.”
Among others, in the suit filed by Tee Mac’s lawyers, the flutist is asking for the sum of N100m as exemplary and General Damages for the Defendant’s act of defamation by the publication of libelous words which includes malicious and defamatory statements about Tee Mac which has cast aspersions on the character and integrity of the Tee Mac and lowered him in the sight of persons who hitherto held him in the highest regard.
In the suit, the lawyers also state that the defamatory statements have exposed him to hatred, contempt or ridicule and caused persons to shun or avoid him thereby discrediting him in his Office, Trade or Profession and this will injure his financial credits.
Stating that Pretty Okafor wants to curry PMAN members favour by blackmailing him, the suit added that The Claimant, Tee Mac over the years has built a good name and reputation in the society and stands in high estimation hence he is a highly reputable member of the society who has achieved professional, business and academic success culminating in his being bestowed with a National Honor, Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) aside being a visiting Professor to an Ivy League University in the United States. The suit also states that Tee Mac has never at any time sold or attempted to sell the Property belonging to PMAN, rather he has taken efforts to have same re-allocated.
Among others, the claimant is requesting an order from the court directing the Defendant to write a Letter of Apology to be published in at least three national newspapers circulated in all parts of Nigeria.
Tee Mac through his lawyers is also requesting An Order directing the Defendant to forward a letter tendering unreserved apology to the Claimant within seven days of the judgment of the Honourable Court and An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendant from further publishing or causing the defamatory words to be published.
Dr. Tee Mac Omatsola Iseli is a co-founder of PMAN.
Tee Mac at the Lagos High court on Tuesday 7th of December 2020, Lawyer Demola, Tee Mac, George Dureke and Barrister Kola Olapotoju
