Olakunle Oladunni Churchill, the estranged husband of Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh, has filed a lawsuit in Abuja against the actress, seeking no less than N500 million in damages over her infamous May 2019 interview which sparked uproar on social media.

Tonto sparked controversy on Nigeria’s social media community on Workers’ Day – May 1, 2019, when she released a three-part video where she opened a can of worms about her failed marriage to Churchill.

In the video titled “The Evidence”, the actress made some provocative and indicting claims against the father of her son, saying the claims are some of the reasons she quit the marriage.

She also alleged that Churchill is into cyber fraud popularly called Yahoo Yahoo. According to her, she found out when she caught him in the middle of red candles with a red cloth tied to his waist with a laptop in his lap.

The actress further claimed that, contrary to widespread speculation that Churchill was related to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the father of her ex-husband was just Obasanjo’s gardener.

In the court papers spotted by WuzupNigeria, the court has summoned Tonto warning that failure to do so in 14 days, it may proceed therein with judgment even in the absence of the defendant (Tonto).

According to the court papers, the 1st and 2nd claimants (Churchill and Big Church Foundation respectively), are claiming that

“The series of malicious and fallacious allegations, assertions and accusations through media campaigns and publications by Tonto Dikeh and her charity group was defamatory, baseless and sponsored to tarnish and damage the image and political ambition of the claimant, as he might have told her his intentions to run for House of Representative in his constituency.

The suit identified several declarations with substantial proofs ascertaining illegalities in the action and approaches adopted by the claimant’s ex-wife.

The claims include the declaration that the defendant’s interview and/on series of false allegations on domestic violence, infidelity, false allegations of fraud, sexual disease, money ritual, homosexuality/bisexuality, and mockery of the 7000 persons empowerment project by Big Church Foundation, describing the humanitarian intervention as fake.

According to the suit, Tonto Dikeh’s interviews were aired, published and sponsored via broadcast channels, online media platforms, YouTube handles, notable print publications and even on her Instagram with four million followers with a view to impugn the character, standings in life and goodwill of her ex-husband, Olakunle Churchill.

The suit also demands the sum of N500 million as general damages from Tonto, “for the libelous, slanderous and false allegations published against the Claimants.”

The suit is also asking Tonto Dikeh to publish or cause to be published an apology to her ex-Husband, and a retraction of the publications on her Instagram pages, YouTube Channel, three major Nigeria Newspapers and their online sites, as well as a file affidavit of compliance of same within 14 days of the delivery of judgment.

Also an order of perpetual injunction may also be issued restraining the defendant, privies, agents etc from publishing or cause to be published any further defamatory words against the claimant.

See copies of the court documents: