Seun Kuti, afrobeat musician and son of legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, has tendered an unreserved apology to Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), over defamatory and libellous statement he made against the senior lawyer.
Seun had in a video on social media, insinuated that Chief Ayorinde intentionally passed information to P&ID while representing Nigeria during arbitration proceedings over their disputed gas contract.
The afrobeat musician also said he was battle read to meet Ayorinde in court over the controversy surrounding the Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) gas processing contract case.
Following this, Seun was slammed with a libel and defamation of character lawsuit by Ayorinde before the high court of Oyo State, sitting at Ibadan.
However, at the hearing of the suit on April18, 2024, parties informed the court that they have met and have adopted the Terms of Settlement dated 15/4/2024 and filed the same date.
They urged the court to adopt the Terms of Settlement as the judgement of the court.
Consequently, Justice K. B. Olawoyin adopted the term of settlement as the judgement of the court.
The court held “in view of the foregoing and in accordance with the expressed desire of the parties in this suit as confirmed by the respective Counsel in Court, I hereby enter the foregoing Terms of Statement as the judgement of the court.”
In the Term of statement, Seun stated unequivocally that his statements made and published on his Instagram Handle @bigbirdkuti on 31st October, 2023 against the Chief Ayorinde were not true and unfounded and stand retracted
He said “It is not true that the Claimant (Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN) leaked confidential documents to the adverse side in the P & ID Vs. Nigeria arbitration matter or in any way conducted himself in any unethical or corrupt manner in his work as legal Practitioner for Nigeria in the said case.
“It is not true that the Claimant deliberately planned with the opponent to lose in the P & ID Vs. Nigeria Arbitration Matter and sabotaged the interests of Nigeria in the case.
“It is not true that the Claimant committed Treachery against Nigeria in the said P & ID Vs. Nigeria Arbitration Matter.
“It is not true that the Claimant charged 197 Million Dollars for a case in which the Claimant intentionally sabotaged his Country Nigeria.
Seun Multi in his defence before the court said “Having now conceded that my allegations are untrue and unfounded and that i have unjustifiably impeached the character and reputation of Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, I hereby publicly recant and retract my aforesaid untrue imputations against Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, which stood to damage the hard earned good name and good will of Chief Bolaji Ayorinde’s character.
“That the Claimant shall not pursue his claims in this suit or any other claims/complaints he may have against the Defendant before any Agency or Authority of Government or initiated same afresh against the Defendant except there is a REPEAT of the defamatory statement in question here in any form or similitude whatsoever by the Defendant against the Claimant”.
That the parties agree that each should bear it respective costs in this suit and that this Terms be entered as the judgment of the Honourable Court in this case”.
The aforementioned Terms of Settlement was duly signed by the Claimant, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN and his lead Counsel Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN in the presence of Emmanuel Elijah Esg., Legal Practitioner and the Defendant, Seun Kuti and his lead Counsel, Adesina Ogunlana Esq.
