Social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as Very Dark Man (VDM), on Wednesday, asked Folarin Falana, Nigeria’s popular music star, otherwise known as Falz, to direct his misgivings towards Idris Okunenye alias Bobrisky to iron out the issue surrounding the leaked tape where the singer is being linked to some untoward activities.
The musician is at the centre of a controversy of an audio tape where Bobrisky, a popular Nigerian crossdresser allegedly revealed an attempt to get him presidential pardon through the help of Falana and his father, Femi Falana (SAN), one of Nigeria’s foremost human rights crusaders of decades of repute.
The controversy came with the release of the revelation by VDM to the public on Tuesday, where he played an audio of an alleged conversation between Bobrisky and a yet to be identified person, where he stated that he had a conversation with the Falanas, who charged her N10million to get a presidential pardon after his conviction for publicly spraying naira notes.
Apparently scandalised by his being linked to the sordid affair, the singer, who actually acknowledged having a conversation with the crossdresser, took his misgivings out on VDM, a popular social media personality, demanding the retraction of the tape and an apology over the development, which he interpreted as an attempt to rubbish his name.
Falz, had through his lawyer, threatened to commence a legal action against him, should he fail to meet the demand, which included using all the platforms he employed to spread his message in broadcasting the apology within 24 hours.
But in a quick reply, VDM, through Deji Adeyanju, his lawyer, clarified that he at no time made any imputation against the musician or his father, saying he simply questioned the validity of Bobrisky’s claims in the leaked audio and did not intend to defame Femi Falana.
He said in a statement: “We’re solicitors to Mr Martins Vicent Otse, now referred to as our client, on whose instruction we act. Our client received your letter dated September 25, 2024, on the above subject matter wherein you demanded the retraction of his Instagram publication containing a voice recording between Mr Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju (Bobrisky) and a third party.
“Our client denies defaming Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, a renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria and globally recognised human rights activist, but asserts that he only published the said communication to get the relevant agencies and even your client to initiate a thorough investigation into the far-reaching allegations made by Mr Okuneye in the said voice recording, especially as some element of the voice recording has been confirmed by Mr Folarin Falana in his solicitor’s letter dated 25 September 2024.”
Emphasising that the primary focus should be investigating the allegations Bobrisky allegedly made against certain EFCC officers rather than pursuing a defamation case, he added: “Our client holds Mr Femi Falana, SAN, in high esteem and recognises his commitment to protecting human rights and the rule of law in Nigeria. In light of the preceding, our client believes that the appropriate line of action in the circumstances is an interagency investigation into the allegations contained in the voice recording rather than pursuing a case of defamation.”
Stretching his argument further in another Facebook post, Adeyanju argued that Falz should focus on Bobrisky, having acknowledged the call, adding: “For Falz: he should go and meet Bob about everything he/she said. Falz even admitted to having a phone call with Bob. End of discussion.”
Source: whirlwind
