Nigerian rapper and activist Folarin Falana, better known as Falz, has replied to recent charges made by social media influencer Martins Otse, also known as Verydarkman, claiming that the allegations against him are false and defamatory.
Falz claimed on The Afrobeat Podcast, which was aired on YouTube on Wednesday, that prior to the dispute, he knew little of Verydarkman’s activities.
“I don’t know much of it. I’ll be honest with you,” he stated, acknowledging that he had seen some of the influencer’s early content, particularly related to issues like the sale of unregulated bleaching products.
“At that time when I saw some of those clips, I was like, okay, this person seems to be doing something right. This is a good cause,” he added.
The controversy began when Verydarkman levelled significant claims that Falz and his father, Femi Falana, conspired with specific persons to subvert justice.
According to Falz, VeryDarkMan accused him of having a gay relationship with popular crossdresser Bobrisky, casting doubt on the rapper’s reputation as an activist.
Falz responded to the charges with shock, adding, “How would anyone feel? These are terrible things to say. There is absolutely no proof.
He chastised the influencer for making unsubstantiated allegations without evidence.
He said, “All these things are false, basically. So now you have to defend yourself because he who alleges must prove. I’ve gone to court for defamation of character because that’s clearly what this is.”
Falz also addressed recent misinformation, noting that while the court did not impose a financial settlement, it did compel Verydarkman to remove the defamatory video.
He said, “Now, recently it was reported that the court has ordered N500 million to be paid, blah, blah, I mean, that’s false. The case of defamation is still very much in court. Yes, we have instituted proceedings for defamation because, of course, that is what this is.
“That is very much still ongoing. However, there’s something called interim applications, which you can do while a substantive case is still ongoing. You can apply to the court for an injunction because this defamation still subsists.
“This video I speak of is still very much on his page, on his pages. He has not taken them down.”
“The ruling that the court gave was to take this down and desist from any further defamatory remarks pending the determination of this substantive suit. That is what that is.”
The New Daily Prime reports that Falz has been a trending topic this week following the mention of his name by popular cross-dresser Bobrisky, actual name Idris Okuneye, in the alleged N15 million payment to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to clear a money laundering allegation in his recent trial.
In April of this year, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Lagos convicted Bobrisky to six months in prison for Naira abuse after dismissing money laundering accusations against him. This came shortly after he went to celebrate receiving the ‘Best Dressed Female’ award at a film premiere.
The crossdresser, who was released after several months in prison, revealed in a phone tape that has since gone viral that he spoke with musician Falz and his father, Femi Falana (SAN), about perhaps obtaining a state pardon.
In the recording, Bobrisky can be heard detailing how he paid the EFCC. The secret audio, shared by Otse Martins, also known as VeryDarkMan, details how Bobrisky obtained the money and everything that happened.
While Bobrisky has now officially rejected the recording in the leaked audio as fraudulent and denied bribing the EFCC, Nigerian rapper Falz has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to VeryDarkMan, indicating he made touch with Bobrisky regarding the issues in question.
Falz also said that Bobrisky requested him for N3 million to obtain a VIP section at the Correctional Centre. This clarification came on Wednesday, after Falana’s legal team, Falana & Falana Chambers, wrote to VeryDarkMan requesting a retraction of the “defamatory statements made against Falz”.
Furthermore, the law firm ordered that the social media influencer give a public apology on all platforms where the charges were made.
Responding to Falana’s legal team, Deji Adeyanju, the counsel for Verydarkman, stated that Falz has already accepted some aspects of the voice tape.
The letter, dated September 25, 2024, stated that his disclosure of the voice tape was not intended to slander Mr. Falana (Falz), but rather to attract attention to significant issues that demand further investigation.
The federal government has already sought an investigation into the situation, and some top Correctional Centre staff have supposedly been sanctioned. Nigerians, on the other hand, are closely following the situation.
Adiele C.
