A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has adjourned the defamation case filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana and his son, Folarin Falana (popularly known as Falz), against social media influencer Martins Otse, also called Verydarkman (VDM). The case, initially scheduled for hearing, has now been postponed to April 15, 2025.
The adjournment followed a request from VDM’s legal team, led by the law firm of Deji Adeyanju & Partners. A letter dated February 18, 2025, signed by counsel Nafiu Alagbe, cited the unavailability of the lead defence lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, due to a personal emergency.
Despite the defendant’s absence, Femi Falana was present in court. His legal representative, Omotayo Olatunbosun, criticised the request for adjournment, describing it as a deliberate attempt to delay proceedings. Nonetheless, Justice Matthias Dawodu granted the request and rescheduled the hearing.
Meanwhile, the Falanas have escalated the matter by filing a substantive suit, which has been reassigned to Justice Fimisola Azeez, also of the Lagos High Court. The legal battle is expected to continue, drawing public attention to the implications of online commentary and defamation laws in Nigeria.
