Gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has taken legal action against social media critic Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM). She is filing a lawsuit demanding N1.1 billion in damages over alleged defamatory statements against her on social media.
The lawsuit, dated 3 March 2025, was filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja and made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday by Mercy’s legal team, Law Corridor.The Writ of Summons document accuses VDM of making “libellous, malicious, spiteful, malevolent, and grossly defamatory statements that impugn the image and character” of the singer.This newspaper reported that allegations first stemmed from a public dispute between Mercy and her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as EeZee Tee.
Olajengbesi argued that VDM was not involved in the dispute between Chinwo and EeZee Tee, yet he falsely presented the matter in a way that tarnished the singer’s image. He accused VDM of posting several videos to his millions of followers, showing a “caricaturist and disdainful portrayal of the Claimant (Chinwo)” while favouring EeZee Tee’s side in the dispute.He stated, “The Claimant avers that she has neither had any form of relationship with the Defendant nor was the Defendant involved in the issue between the Claimant and Mr. EeZee T in any material particular.
“The Claimant avers that the statements which the Defendant made in the videos he published on his Instagram page were as though the Defendant was personally involved in the issues between the Claimant and Mr. EeZee T; however, these statements were not only false but damning and injurious to the Claimant’s public image and reputation.”
The lawyer is seeking a court order directing VDM to remove the defamatory posts from all his social media platforms. “An order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendant to cause a retraction of the said defamatory statement in favour of the Claimant on all his social media platforms and to publish an unreserved apology to the Claimant in two widely circulated national dailies and all his social media platforms,” he also demanded.
Olajengbesi said the videos were deliberately made to ridicule Chinwo. Olajengbesi further prayed the court to order VDM to pay, N1 billion as general damages for defamation, N100 million as punitive and aggravated damages, N25 million as the cost of the suit and 10% interest on the judgment sum per annum until full payment. He also requested that VDM publish the apology in four national dailies for at least 14 consecutive days.
In January, Chinwo accused Onyedikachukwu, popularly known as EeZee Tee, of exploitation, threats to life and spreading false rumours about her child’s paternity. The allegation comes amid the ongoing feud between the duo.
In a video shared on Instagram, Chinwo claimed that he threatened her safety, forcing her to relocate from Lagos to Port Harcourt in Rivers State. Without mentioning his name, she said, “He threatened my life, and I had to leave Lagos to seek safety.”
