Court Orders VeryDarkMan to Pay N30m to Mr Jollof’s Wife for Defamation Over Alleged Extramarital Affair

A Federal High Court in Effurun, Delta State, has ordered the Nigerian social‑media personality VeryDarkMan to pay N30 million in damages to Esinjemiyotan Uruneyonjuyei Atsepoyi, the wife of comedian Mr Jollof.

The dispute began in September 2024 when, during an online argument with Mr Jollof, VeryDarkMan alleged that the comedian’s wife had engaged in adultery with politicians and so‑called Yahoo boys to help her husband secure a political appointment in Delta State.

Mr Jollof responded by calling VeryDarkMan a product of a broken home and saying he was not well trained.

In reaction to the accusations, Esinjemiyotan Uruneyonjuyei Atsepoyi filed a defamation suit seeking N500 million against VeryDarkMan.

On May 13 2026, a judgment signed by Hon. Justice R. Harriman ordered VeryDarkMan—who could not substantiate his allegations—to pay N30 million in damages.

The judge also directed that within 14 days VeryDarkMan must issue a public apology and retraction in two national newspapers and on all his social‑media platforms.

In his ruling, Justice Harriman said: “I therefore have no hesitation in holding that the words complained of are defamatory in their natural and ordinary meaning and are actionable per se. I find that the Claimant is entitled to general and aggravated damages and an injunction. See DIAMOND BANK v. OKPALA (2016) LPELR-41573(CA) and OBOK & ORS v. AGBOR & ORS (2016) LPELR-41219(CA). Given the wide dissemination of the defamatory material, a retraction and apology are appropriate to restore the Claimant’s reputation. Judgment is hereby entered in favour of the Claimant against the defendant as follows: It is declared that the words published by the Defendant concerning the Claimant are defamatory. N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) as general damages; N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) as aggravated damages. The Defendant is hereby directed to publish an apology to the Claimant in two national dailies and all his social media handles containing a retraction of the defamatory words contained in the Defendant’s online publication of 15th, 16th, and in the early hours of 19th September, 2024, within 14 days of this judgment. The Defendant, by