N30m ‘Defamation’ Suit: Lizzy Anjorin Evading Service, Sherrif Tells Court

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A sheriff of the Lagos State High Court, Inusile Babatunde, has
alleged that Nollywood star, Mrs. Elizabeth Anjorin Lawal, aka
Lizzy Anjorin is evading service of court processes in the N30
million defamation suit filed against her.

Babatunde made the allegation in his six-paragraph affidavit
sworn to on August 10, 2021, filed in support of an ex parte motion
seeking to serve the court process on the defendant by substituted
means.

Lizzy Anjorin was dragged before the court by a Canada-based,
Yoruba art and culture promoter, Mr Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye, popularly
known as Baba Asa.

Babatunde alleged that attempts to serve the actress’s court
processes have been unsuccessful because she made herself
inaccessible.

He stated that the last attempt to serve the defendant was made
on July 27, 2021, at her business address, Lizzy Anjorin Clothings,
Road 5, Shop ‘I’ 323, Ikota Shopping Complex, VGC Lekki, Lagos
State.

He met with the defendant’s salesgirl who confirmed that her
boss was around, but after calling her on phone she allegedly
avoided the service of the court processes.

Besides, the deponent averred that many people had called him,
claiming to be lawyers to the defendant and requested that the
court processes should be handed over to them. But he requested a
power of attorney from Lizzy Anjorin, which they failed to
produce.

In the claimant’s application pending before Justice Josephine
Oyefeso, seeking to serve Lizzy Anjorin by substituted means, Baba
Asa prayed the court for an order granting him leave to serve the
court process on the defendant by pasting it in a conspicuous place
at the mentioned address.

In the substantive suit, Oyatoye has asked the court to compel
Lizzy Anjorin to pay him N30 million for alleged defamation

Baba Asa is the plaintiff in the suit numbered LD/ADR/3481/2021,
while Lizzy Anjorin is the sole defendant.

The plaintiff, in his February 23 statement of claim and a
13-paragraph affidavit, alleged that the defendant defamed him on
her social media page.

Baba Asa averred that he became conversant with the actress in
the course of his business as a promoter and enabler of Yoruba art,
culture and tradition in 2018 when he was preparing to organise the
annual Asa Day for 2018 in Canada.

He averred that the actress was contacted to participate in the
event and all issues relating to her participation and engagement
in the Asa Day 2018, were sorted out effectively and
conclusively.

Baba Asa claimed that on January 30, 2021, several of his
acquaintances informed him that they saw a post on social media
attributed to the actress titled ‘The Fraudster of Manitoba and the
Fraudster of Winnipeg’, which alleged that Baba Asa perpetrated
fraud on her and people connected to her.

The claimant averred that there was no justification for the
defendant to issue the post regarding his personality, adding that
the content of the post was damaging to and disparaging of his
character.

Baba Asa further stated that in response, he briefed his counsel
who wrote Lizzy Anjorin on February 1, and the letter was delivered
to the actress at her business address in Lekki.

He alleged that despite receiving the letter, the defendant
again went ahead to issue, publish and commissioned further
defamatory posts against him.

He prayed the court to order Lizzy Anjorin to immediately delete
all her defamatory posts on her Instagram handle and other social
media platforms, tender an unreserved apology for her alleged
action against him and pay him the sum of N30 million as damages
for the wrongful and unlawful assassination of his character.

Finally, he also prayed the court to grant an order of perpetual
injunction restraining the defendant from engaging in any other
damaging post on social media or any other platform, concerning,
touching or that will affect him.