Defamation: Court Dismisses Suit Against Oyo Archbishop

The National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan has dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by a former Priest of the Ibadan North Anglican Diocese: Reverend Oluwadamilola Ebenezer Kosemani, against the Archbishop of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, the Most Rev. Williams Aladekugbe.

Rev. Kosemani had asked the Court for diverse reliefs, which included judicial quashing of the letter dated the 11th of November, 2024, written by Bishop Aladekugbe to the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry C Ndukuba, a retraction of the letter and an order for apology from Bishop Aladekugbe to the Priest.

The Reverend also asked for the sum of N100,000,000:00 (One Hundred Million Naira) as general and aggravated damages for defamation.

However, in a judgment delivered by Hon Justice J. D. Peters, the judge, after examining the reliefs, held that the National Industrial Court, being a specialised Court, cannot expand its jurisdiction beyond that given to it by law.

The Judge upheld the submission of Counsel to the Archbishop, Otunba (Sir) Kunle Kalejaye, SAN, who led Sir Oyewale Akinrinade, Chief Olusola Orobode, Oyewale Oyegoke, Esq and Miss Toluwani Ogunbanjo that the National Industrial Court has no jurisdiction to entertain actions in defamation at all.

The trial judge, after an extensive review of all the current legal authorities on the matter, threw out the entire action and dismissed it.

Speaking after the judgment, the lead Counsel, Kalejaye, SAN, expressed deep satisfaction with the outcome and praised the Court for following the path laid by the Court of Appeal in similar matters.

He also alluded to the fact that the Primate of the Anglican Communion had set up a committee to arbitrate in the matter, but the junior priest Rev. Oluwadamilola Ebenezer Kosemani rebuffed the efforts of the Primate.

Contacted for comments, Archbishop Aladekugbe refused to comment, but thanked God for a successful conclusion of the matter and expressed appreciation to the Primate, who set up a committee of senior Priests to arbitrate, which was shunned by the Junior priest.