Actress and filmmaker Eniola Ajao has explained why she took legal action against blogger Adabasioni Oluwafemi Aseoro, accusing him of manipulating a video to tarnish her image and subject her to ridicule online.
She explained that after attending the burial of Ambassador Odunlade Adekola’s father, the blogger created and circulated a doctored video with malicious intent.
Ajao, who has faced years of online trolling, said she decided to pursue legal action this time.
Adabasioni was arrested and prosecuted under the Nigerian Cybercrime Act for criminal defamation and cyberbullying. After failing to provide evidence to back his claims, he was detained for two weeks.
The blogger later apologised and retracted the defamatory content following pleas from his family and friends.
She stressed that defamation carries serious consequences and urged bloggers to learn from the incident.
Ajao also expressed gratitude to CSP Mariam Ogunmolasuyi and human rights activist Aghedo Kehinde Stephen for their support during the ordeal.
Ajao wrote, “Hello everyone, after deep consultations with my media and legal team, it became important for me to publicly address this once and for all.
“I can confirm the arrest and prosecution of Adabasioni Oluwafemi Aseoro, a blogger, for criminal defamation and cyberbullying under the Nigerian Cyber Crime Acts. This blogger went online to make derogatory and unfounded claims against my person, following my appearance at the burial of our Late father PA N.A Adekola, the father of my BOSS, Ambassador Odunlade Adekola.
“Over the past few years, I’ve been a target for cheap bloggers and social media trolls. I endured bants even when I labor hard to put my work out there, but God has always shown up to elevate me above these enemies of progress who use social media as a tool against me
“Adabasioni took videos of me, which were made by another party blogger with malicious intentions. Adabasioni manipulated the video to suit his narrative and posted it online to achieve his trolling goal, I became a subject of ridicule, no one questioned the highly-manipulated video, I chose to respond for once by taking legal actions, the said blogger was arrested to produce his evidences as claimed in the video, he had none and I ensured he was detained in prison for two good weeks at the Ikoyi prison, He assassinated my character, he paid for it in full!
“His family and friends, who didn’t caution him when he made the video, joined him to beg me when I responded legally. Of course, Eniola is a gentlewoman. I have forgiven him after he apologized and retracted the report of calumny he posted. I pitied his mother, but this is the way going forward. If you want to drive traffic to your page with defamatory stories, you will pay dearly for your foolishness.
“To party bloggers who go to events to make videos for trolling purposes, I promise you, I will go to the full extent of the law with you. And to those of you bloggers who live abroad and think you’re not within reach, petitions have been raised against you all. I promise you, too, it will shock you that your day of doom will arrive soon. You people forget you have family members here, if they cannot call you to order when you’re trying to destroy people for no just cause, they will help you in paying for your sins. You who enjoy doing silly voice-overs on videos you see just to defame people, your seven-year imprisonment is loading.
“If you think you can defame people online because it’s a free space, you will meet the course of the law. Maybe you don’t know that defamation of character is a grave offense that comes with consequences. We will no longer leave you for God; we will match your energy legally.
“We advise you to learn from the fate of Adabasioni, and if you choose not to, you will learn the hard way. Nobody is above the law. Love and light.
“Special thanks to CSP Mariam Ogunmolasuyi @oluwabusorlami, a wonderful police beacon who stepped in to fight my cause legally in the midst of the cybercrime perpetrated against me by malicious bloggers. I’m also thankful to a spirited human rights activist, Mr. Aghedo Kehinde Stephen @aghedo_c20, who also rose for my cause. I’m grateful for your support and guidance during this difficult time”.
