By Rotimi Ojomoyela

AN Ekiti-based cleric, Adegoke Jeremiah, yesterday, slammed a N22 million lawsuit on Nigerian chef, Damilola Adeparusi, popularly known as Chef Dammy, for alleged defamation of character.

It will be recalled that Chef Dammy, a student of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE, recently called out the Prophet on social media, saying he should be held responsible if anything happens to her.

According to Dammy, the Pastor, who sponsored her sensational cook-a-thon, had been threatening, cursing and bullying her for months.

However, the Prophet, in a letter by his lawyers, Bisayo Sule and Co. Legal Practitioners, demanded a retraction of the defamatory statement on social media, two widely read national dailies and payment of a sum of N22 million for damages.

The clergyman also gave Chef Dammy an ultimatum of seven days to comply with the demand as he would not hesitate to seek redress in court.

The letter reads: “Given the incalculable damage you have done to the good reputation of our client, we demand a retraction of the libellous statement on all the social media particularly your Instagram page, and two widely read national dailies.

“Additionally, we are demanding a sum of N20 million being damages for the act of Defamation against our client.

“Take notice that you have seven days from the date of service of this letter on you, the date of service inclusive to comply with our demand, failure of which we shall not hesitate to seek a redress in the court of law.”

 Gov’s wife, A-G on my side — Chef Dammy

However, in a swift reaction, Chef Dammy said that the wife of the Governor of Ekiti State, Olayemi Oyebanji and the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata, SAN, have taken up the alleged N22 million defamatory lawsuit filed against her by Prophet Jeremiah.

In a chat with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, she insisted that the rift between her and the prophet is accurate and not defamatory while alleging threats to life by the prophet.

Her words: “The DPO wanted us to settle the matter amicably but then they brought the letter of the lawsuit. The First Lady of Ekiti State, the Attorney General and my lawyer have taken up the case. They are on my side.”

Reacting to the defamatory charges, she said: “The issue started after the cook-a-ton challenge, although it wasn’t my whole idea, it was the idea of the church as I was chosen to represent the church. During the challenge, N700,000 was sent to my Pastor’s account while, N600,000 was sent to my Opay Account. Although the Church sponsored the whole contest, we didn’t discuss anything regarding money from the beginning, I just did it because I was led.

“When people began to send money, my Pastor said the whole money was mine not until my brother complained of the intensive disturbance as I was not given a chance to rest. The N700,000 in his account wasn’t sent to me, and I didn’t ask for it till now, they all told me that this is your money, the church is not after money, and I didn’t ask for the 700,000 in his account

“After this, my parents summoned my Pastor to the First Lady’s Office to apologise for not seeking their consent before embarking on the challenge which made him prostrate at the office. After this, Papa sent four people to me with a message, ‘Can this people die a natural death’ and I know my Papa very well which made me stop attending the church.

“It was after I stopped attending the Church, that I began to receive different threats, insults, and curses from the group which made me leave the church group. The threats did not stop after I left the group which instigated the statement I wrote via my Instagram Page, although I didn’t mention anybody’s name at first until I was attacked by some of the church members.”

“During the challenge, Papa was charging people N1000 for an entry fee of which some of my coursemates and government officials from the First Lady’s office paid N1000 to watch me.”