Yobo Sues Complete Sports Paper; Asks For N500m Damages

[naija4ever]

In a bid to redeem his image allegedly battered by a libelous publication, the vice-captain of the Nigerian national team, Mr. Joseph Yobo, who plies his football trade with Everton Football Club of England, has slammed a N500 million suit on the publisher of Complete Sports, Dr. Sunny Obazu Ojeagbase and his communication outfit.

According to a statement of claim supported by a statement on oath by one of the fans of the claimant, Mr. Olatokunbo Adedotun and filed before a Lagos High Court by a Lagos lawyer, Barrister Abiodun Onidare, the international footballer alleged that the defendant through their publication, have greatly injured his reputation as a prominent and distinguished sportsman, thereby bringing his name to shame, odium, ridicule, scorn and contempt.

The claimant alleged further that on 6 September 2009, he participated in 2010 FIFA Word Cup qualifying football match between Nigeria and Tunisia, played at the National Stadium, Abuja, the matched ended in a 2-2 draw.

That on the front page of Complete Sports of Friday 11 September, 2009, in an article headlined: “Revealed! Revealed! Revealed! Revealed! Yobo Leads Tucano Celebration Shame”, that the Super Eagles Vice Captain, Joseph Yobo, was reportedly fingered as the player whose birthday celebration lured the Eagles to a shameless gig at a night they sent, via their sloppy, spineless display, a lot Nigerians into grief and teeth gnashing.

That this latest revelation made nonsense of earlier reports that the Everton of England star was not among the Super Eagles players who took part in an all night gig in Abuja, after Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Tunisia.

That it has emerged that the Everton of England defender reportedly organised the event to celebrate his birthday.

Yobo averred that these aforementioned published words and others published by the sport newspaper, were understood to mean among other things, that he is an irresponsible and insensitive person, who does not share the grief caused by the result of the football match between Nigeria and Tunisia.

The claimant was also alleged to have been portrayed as a selfish and unpatriotic individual who, despite the outcome of the match, went ahead to organise his birthday party.

However, Yobo contended that the said publication was false as he neither organised any party to celebrate his birthday on that day, nor attended any birthday party on the day in issue.

Consequently, he averred that the defendant’s wrong information has caused him untold hardship, psychological nightmares and has damaged his hard-earned reputation; that therefore, he would claim from the defendant, jointly and severally, as follows:

(1) An order of the court directing and compelling the defendants to publish a retraction and unqualified apology in several national daily newspapers in Nigeria.
(2) The sum of N500 million as general and special damages.
(3) An order of the court restraining the defendants from further publication of the alleged offensive words.
(4) The sum of N2 million as the cost of instituting and prosecuting this suit.

Read more and peoples comment on the link below;
http://thepmnews.com/2009/10/19/yobo-su ... ent-146266

[Fourteen]

Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! The sooner that publications are made to pay for writing crap, the sooner we will get serious and truthful stories out of our Newspapers.

In a bid to redeem his image allegedly battered by a libelous publication, the vice-captain of the Nigerian national team, Mr. Joseph Yobo, who plies his football trade with Everton Football Club of England, has slammed a N500 million suit on the publisher of Complete Sports, Dr. Sunny Obazu Ojeagbase and his communication outfit.

According to a statement of claim supported by a statement on oath by one of the fans of the claimant, Mr. Olatokunbo Adedotun and filed before a Lagos High Court by a Lagos lawyer, Barrister Abiodun Onidare, the international footballer alleged that the defendant through their publication, have greatly injured his reputation as a prominent and distinguished sportsman, thereby bringing his name to shame, odium, ridicule, scorn and contempt.

The claimant alleged further that on 6 September 2009, he participated in 2010 FIFA Word Cup qualifying football match between Nigeria and Tunisia, played at the National Stadium, Abuja, the matched ended in a 2-2 draw.

That on the front page of Complete Sports of Friday 11 September, 2009, in an article headlined: “Revealed! Revealed! Revealed! Revealed! Yobo Leads Tucano Celebration Shame”, that the Super Eagles Vice Captain, Joseph Yobo, was reportedly fingered as the player whose birthday celebration lured the Eagles to a shameless gig at a night they sent, via their sloppy, spineless display, a lot Nigerians into grief and teeth gnashing.

That this latest revelation made nonsense of earlier reports that the Everton of England star was not among the Super Eagles players who took part in an all night gig in Abuja, after Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Tunisia.

That it has emerged that the Everton of England defender reportedly organised the event to celebrate his birthday.

Yobo averred that these aforementioned published words and others published by the sport newspaper, were understood to mean among other things, that he is an irresponsible and insensitive person, who does not share the grief caused by the result of the football match between Nigeria and Tunisia.

The claimant was also alleged to have been portrayed as a selfish and unpatriotic individual who, despite the outcome of the match, went ahead to organise his birthday party.

However, Yobo contended that the said publication was false as he neither organised any party to celebrate his birthday on that day, nor attended any birthday party on the day in issue.

Consequently, he averred that the defendant’s wrong information has caused him untold hardship, psychological nightmares and has damaged his hard-earned reputation; that therefore, he would claim from the defendant, jointly and severally, as follows:

(1) An order of the court directing and compelling the defendants to publish a retraction and unqualified apology in several national daily newspapers in Nigeria.
(2) The sum of N500 million as general and special damages.
(3) An order of the court restraining the defendants from further publication of the alleged offensive words.
(4) The sum of N2 million as the cost of instituting and prosecuting this suit.

Read more and peoples comment on the link below;
http://thepmnews.com/2009/10/19/yobo-su ... ent-146266

[ohenhen1]

hopefully this will stop completesports from printing junk.

[pajimoh]

Who says here's nothing in a name? Dr Oje bgese is about to owe Yobo some money

[Catalyst]

Assuming this is accurate, more power to Yobo.

I wish more folks did this. Unfortunately they can't because it is hard to keep up with them. But maybe this could serve as a deterrent.

If Yobo wins, this could put Sunny out of business. I hope the judge softens the liability should Yobo win - N500M is too high a figure. Even N50M is too high.

[Penarity]

They will settle out of court...

Yobo will not do that to them!

[anointed]

Are we already passing judgment?

[KoC]

Complete Sports put their foot in this one big time.
I was at Tucano that night and Yobo was nowhere near there.
Fact is, he had planned to have a celebratory birthday bash there after the game. But because of the result, he chose not to go, said he was not in the mood to party.
A few of the other guys went (I wont name names).
As far as I could tell, I was the only media person there that night. Two former SE coaches were also there. CEs own Obinna was also there.
Two days after the match (on Tuesday), there was a buzz among the media folks about the party. Ade Ojeikere rang me up to ask if I could tell him the players who were there.
I told him I would do no such thing. However, I could tell him one player who wasnt there: Yobo.
Where CS goofed was that their Abuja correspondent, in writing the story, did not mention Yobo. But the guys in Lagos, not wanting to be beaten to a good story, took it off another media and splashed Yobo's name all over their front page.
He is determined to see this one through.
Last time, it was The Sun, and I helped talk him out of it. This time, he seems determined to set an example, and it will take some serious mediation to convince him to drop this case, or settle out of court.
If this goes to the wire, watch other players start coming after the local media.
And I cant say I blame them.

[wanaj0]

It is the NORM in Nigeria for reporters to send stories that they made up in their sitting room.

Wishing Yobo the best but it will take him close to 10 years to get final judgement. Hope he has the staying power.

Complete Sports put their foot in this one big time.
I was at Tucano that night and Yobo was nowhere near there.
Fact is, he had planned to have a celebratory birthday bash there after the game. But because of the result, he chose not to go, said he was not in the mood to party.
A few of the other guys went (I wont name names).
As far as I could tell, I was the only media person there that night. Two former SE coaches were also there. CEs own Obinna was also there.
Two days after the match (on Tuesday), there was a buzz among the media folks about the party. Ade Ojeikere rang me up to ask if I could tell him the players who were there.
I told him I would do no such thing. However, I could tell him one player who wasnt there: Yobo.
Where CS goofed was that their Abuja correspondent, in writing the story, did not mention Yobo. But the guys in Lagos, not wanting to be beaten to a good story, took it off another media and splashed Yobo's name all over their front page.
He is determined to see this one through.
Last time, it was The Sun, and I helped talk him out of it. This time, he seems determined to set an example, and it will take some serious mediation to convince him to drop this case, or settle out of court.
If this goes to the wire, watch other players start coming after the local media.
And I cant say I blame them.

[SPARROW JAY]

The Media now seem to be some small god to psyche peeps to believe whatever they say. let the record be set straight

[anointed]

Complete Sports put their foot in this one big time.
I was at Tucano that night and Yobo was nowhere near there.
Fact is, he had planned to have a celebratory birthday bash there after the game. But because of the result, he chose not to go, said he was not in the mood to party.
A few of the other guys went (I wont name names).
As far as I could tell, I was the only media person there that night. Two former SE coaches were also there. CEs own Obinna was also there.
Two days after the match (on Tuesday), there was a buzz among the media folks about the party. Ade Ojeikere rang me up to ask if I could tell him the players who were there.
I told him I would do no such thing. However, I could tell him one player who wasnt there: Yobo.
Where CS goofed was that their Abuja correspondent, in writing the story, did not mention Yobo. But the guys in Lagos, not wanting to be beaten to a good story, took it off another media and splashed Yobo's name all over their front page.
He is determined to see this one through.
Last time, it was The Sun, and I helped talk him out of it. This time, he seems determined to set an example, and it will take some serious mediation to convince him to drop this case, or settle out of court.
If this goes to the wire, watch other players start coming after the local media.
And I cant say I blame them.

Funny enough, I read an interview of Yobo the Monday after the Moza match in the CS, and there was no hint of bad blood btw them.

[ohenhen1]

I hope Yobo and his lawyers take them to the cleaners, and maybe burn their building down. What a rubbish site.

[Cmoke]

Hmm,

Poor Yobo. He got fuccked by Naija jorno now his lawyers are about to rape him good in a low value lawsuit. By best guess is that Yobo will get a retraction and not that much.

How much money did Yobo miss as a result of the false party info. What was Yobo's reputation before and after the publication.

Merely publishing an inacurrate report does not make it defamatory. Afterall, did they say Yobo was partying with Ashis? Or with homos? To me, merely saying that he partied after the loss really is not as bad as you need for defamation.

Cmoke

[Prince]

Hmm,

Poor Yobo. He got fuccked by Naija jorno now his lawyers are about to rape him good in a low value lawsuit. By best guess is that Yobo will get a retraction and not that much.

How much money did Yobo miss as a result of the false party info. What was Yobo's reputation before and after the publication.

Merely publishing an inacurrate report does not make it defamatory. Afterall, did they say Yobo was partying with Ashis? Or with homos? To me, merely saying that he partied after the loss really is not as bad as you need for defamation.

Cmoke

It might serve as a deterrrent really but im lawyers go chop.

[PapaK]

Complete Sports will be bankrupt. If they have links at Aso Rock, they better go beg the president to help them beg Yobo or get some traditional chiefs to go beg the boy. A lot of irresponsible journalism and misinformation has been going on in Naija especially with sports stories. Someone really need to be taught some usefull lessons.

Complete Sports put their foot in this one big time.
I was at Tucano that night and Yobo was nowhere near there.
Fact is, he had planned to have a celebratory birthday bash there after the game. But because of the result, he chose not to go, said he was not in the mood to party.
A few of the other guys went (I wont name names).
As far as I could tell, I was the only media person there that night. Two former SE coaches were also there. CEs own Obinna was also there.
Two days after the match (on Tuesday), there was a buzz among the media folks about the party. Ade Ojeikere rang me up to ask if I could tell him the players who were there.
I told him I would do no such thing. However, I could tell him one player who wasnt there: Yobo.
Where CS goofed was that their Abuja correspondent, in writing the story, did not mention Yobo. But the guys in Lagos, not wanting to be beaten to a good story, took it off another media and splashed Yobo's name all over their front page.
He is determined to see this one through.
Last time, it was The Sun, and I helped talk him out of it. This time, he seems determined to set an example, and it will take some serious mediation to convince him to drop this case, or settle out of court.
If this goes to the wire, watch other players start coming after the local media.
And I cant say I blame them.