Falana demands N200m in damages from Ogun monarch filmed assaulting elderly man
By Jeffrey Agbo
Senior advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has filed a lawsuit demanding N200 million in damages against Oba Semiu Ogunjobi, the Olorile of Orile Ifo, Ogun State, over the alleged assault of Elder Areola Love.
The suit stems from a viral video in February showing Elder Love, 73, kneeling on the road while being assaulted by Oba Ogunjobi and others.
The footage sparked outrage, leading to the monarch’s six-month suspension by the state government and his arraignment for assault.
Falana, however, filed a suit, dated March 7, 2025, before the Ogun State High Court, Ota, seeking to enforce the septuagenarian’s rights to dignity, freedom of movement and life.
In the suit, Falana argued that the physical attack on the elderly man on January 21, 2025, violated his fundamental rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
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According to the originating notice of motion filed on behalf Elder Love and obtained on Sunday, Falana urged the court to among other things declare “That the systematic beatings, kicking and striking of the applicant (Elder Love) by the respondent (Oba Ogunjobi) and his agents before a crowd of people at Orile Ifo, Ifo, Ogun State on January 21, 2025 constitute a threat to the life of the applicant and thereby violated his fundamental right to life guaranteed by Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“That the slapping and punching of the head of the Applicant by the Respondent and his agents before a crowd of people at Orile Ifo, Ifo, Ogun State on January 21, 2025, constitute a cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and thereby violated the fundamental right of the Applicant to the dignity of his person guaranteed by Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap A10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
The human rights lawyer also asked the court for “an order directing the Respondent to pay the sum of N200,000,000.00 (two hundred million Naira) to the Applicant for the violation of his fundamental rights to life, dignity, and freedom of movement.”
Falana is also demanding a public apology in The Punch, Vanguard and Nigerian Tribune newspapers.
