Court Orders VeryDarkMan to Pay Fine to Femi Falana and Falz in ₦1B Defamation Case

A Lagos High Court has thrown out a preliminary objection filed by controversial social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), in a N1 billion defamation lawsuit brought against him by senior advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana and his son, acclaimed rapper and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz.

Justice F. Azeez, presiding over the matter, ruled that VDM’s objection lacked merit and ordered the influencer to pay N200,000 in costs – split equally between Falz and his father.

The judge further directed the defendant to file his formal defence without delay, clearing the path for the defamation trial to proceed.

The suit stems from a video published on VDM’s Instagram page (@verydarkblackman) on September 24, 2024, in which the Falanas allege they were the targets of “libellous, scandalous, and defamatory remarks.”

The father-son duo is seeking N500 million each in damages, along with a perpetual injunction to prevent Otse or his associates from repeating or disseminating similar statements in the future.

While Folarin Falana was present in court for the proceedings, his father was represented by legal counsel Ernest Olawanle and Femi Akinyemi. VDM, who was absent from court, was represented by his attorney, Marvin Omorogbe.

The ruling marks an early procedural victory for the Falanas and raises broader questions about accountability in the age of viral commentary and digital influence.