Former President of Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) and Warri-based lawyer, Eric Omare, has demanded an immediate retraction and public apology from Collins Orisetimeyin Edema, Representative of the Olu of Warri to NNPC Ltd, over defamatory comments against him made on Arise TV's "Morning Show" program.

A letter signed by Omare's counsel Emalson A. Akpotaire, and made available to newsmen in Warri on Thursday, claimed that Edema had on July 18, 2024 featured on Arise TV live programme termed “Morning Show” from 10am to 10.30am where he made the purported false, derogatory and libellous publication against his person.

The letter averred that in response to a question by one of the presenters of the programme, Dr. Reuben Abati, on his view about the Supreme Court judgment which ordered fresh delineation of electoral wards and units in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State with reference to an earlier interview granted by Omare, the said Edema reportedly abandoned the question and went on a personal attack on Omare.

According to Omare's lawyer, Akpotaire, the said Edema had said; "I would not like to say much on what I would term beer parlour gossips that were said here, especially from a lawyer who calls himself Omare. First of all, Omare is not an Ijaw word. Omare, let's start from himself. Omare is an Itsekiri word. For him to bear or his forefathers to bear an Itsekiri name means that either of two things had happened in the past. Either his forefathers were domestic servants to the Itsekiris or they were used in the past as, of course, customary tenants and all that. Omare does not have meaning in Itsekiri. He was saying he is in total agreement with what Okumagba had said, to me, for that alone, the Nigerian Bar Association should debar him.”

The letter contended that the comments were false, malicious, and unjustifiable, stating that Omare's ancestors were never domestic servants or customary tenants to the Itsekiris.

Akpotaire's letter which was also copied Arise TV Management reads in parts; "Our Client's personal and professional reputation has been seriously injured. He has been exposed to ridicule and public opprobrium as some of his Clients and professional colleagues are questioning his qualifications as a Legal Practitioner in Nigeria."

"The content of your publication was brought to the attention of our Client by family members, friends, professional colleagues, kinsmen, admirers, traditional and political leaders from all over Nigeria and abroad and he has been inundated with calls up the time of writing this letter.

"Your publication, aired on Arise Television with a nationwide and global viewership, where you implied that our Client is not a qualified Legal Practitioner and that his ancestors were servants or customary tenants to the Itsekiris is not only false, but also malicious, inciting, defamatory and has lowered his hard earned reputation and high esteem before members of the public. You questioned our Client’s reputation as a Legal Practitioner (who was Nigerian Bar in November, 2006 with Supreme Court No SCN050157) and his membership of the Nigerian Bar Association.

"By reason of your false and libellous publication, our Client’s personal and professional reputation has been seriously injured. He has been exposed to ridicule and public opprobrium as some of his Clients and professional colleagues are questioning his qualifications as a Legal Practitioner in Nigeria.

"Our Client and his forefathers were never domestic servants, slaves or customary tenants to the Itsekiris at any point in time or history. Your false and libellous publication has injured our Client’s personal image and that of his family. The imputation that the Omare’s were either domestic servants or customary tenants to the Itsekiris has brought the name of our Client and the larger Omare family members into public ridicule. Members of the larger Omare family who are professionals, politicians, businessmen, career civil servants and in other endeavours have been receiving calls from friends and colleagues from all over the world and they have subjected to public opprobrium and treated with utter disdain".

Consequently, the lawyer demanded a retraction and apology on Arise TV and in three national newspapers, warning of legal action and punitive damages if the demands are not met.

"Consequently, without prejudice to our Client’s right to seek legal redress, we have his instructions to demand the following: (a) An immediate retraction of your false and libellous publication and an unreserved public apology on Arise Television “Morning Show” programme within the period of 10am to 10.30 am.

"(b) Publication of your public apology in three national newspapers within one week of the receipt of this letter. A draft copy of the said apology must be sent to us for approval before publication”.

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