Toke Makinwa’s Ex-hubby, Maje Ayida Sues Her For Defamation
FUNSHO AROGUNDADE
A drastic turn of the tide is imminent, following the emergence of incontrovertible evidence strongly indicating that Radio personality Toke Makinwa’s account in her book “On Becoming” is not all there is to know about events leading up to her separation from her erstwhile husband Maje Ayida.
Ayida has hired British lawyers to sue Toke over her tell all book ‘On Becoming’ which he says is an “exaggerated fabrication”.
Maje, a fitness expert has also asked her to stop the sales of the book and all forms of promotional activities.
According to Maje, it is untrue that he gave Toke Makinwa a sexually transmitted disease in the past or at any stage in their relationship.
It is also “highly misleading” for Toke’s book to allege that Maje “did not financially contribute adequately” to their marriage.
Toke’s tell-all book had detailed her account of her relationship/marriage to Ayida.
In the book, Toke accused Ayida of giving her sexually transmitted diseases, being a serial cheat and committing adultery.
This most recent development has come to the fore on account of damning revelations discovered proving that Maje Ayida and Toke Makinwa were legally separated six months into the marriage.
Carter Ruck, leading defamation law firm in the UK, and lawyers to top figures like Elton John, Simon Cowell, Chelsea Football Club and The State of Qatar have recently taken up Maje Ayida as one of their clients and in a warning letter addressed to Toke Makinwa on 23 December 2016, highlighted a number of excerpts from the book that were untrue, specifically quoting as follows:
“… We highlight the fact that our client requested a legal separation from you within 6 months of your wedding to him in January 2014, when it became clear that the marriage was breaking down. A separation agreement was formally signed by you in July 2014…”
“It is therefore well documented that our client and you had agreed to separate by July 2014 (a matter which the book signally fails to record), and that this was, self-evidently far more than ‘’teething’’ difficulties as the book misleadingly describes the circumstances at the time”
Also, heading Maje Ayida’s legal front in Nigeria is Kemi Pinhero SAN, whose firm has also served Toke Makinwa, a letter, corroborating the issues raised by Carter Ruck letter and specifically demanding among other things that she:
“Withdraw from circulation all copies of the book and take immediate steps to call in all copies of the book already distributed and deliver up same at the place to be agreed upon by our client for destruction”
“Retract or cause to be retracted the said published words and tender an unreserved apology to our client by publishing the said apology in one full page insertion in three national dailies to wit: ThisDay, The Guardian and Punch Newspaper and on all your social media platforms including Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and Facebook”
Further stating that failure to comply with all of the demands will result in the commencement of legal action.
THE BONE OF CONTENTION
According to the letter of demand sent to Makinwa, her estranged husband was said to have “requested legal separation” from her “within 6 months” of their marriage in January 2014 — “when it became clear that the marriage was breaking down”.
Makinwa was alleged to have signed a legal separation agreement in July 2014.
The letter said it was well documented that Makinwa and Ayida had agreed to separate by July 2014, which the book failed to record.
“The book misleadingly describes the circumstances at the time,” the letter read.
Pinheiro LP, the Nigerian law firm, said it was untrue that Maje had given her an “STI in the past or at any stage in their relationship.”
The law firm also noted that it was “highly misleading” for the book to allege that Maje “did not financially contribute adequately” to the marriage.
“The publicity sought by you has been relentless, and limitless,” said Adebowale Kamoru in the letter of demand, on behalf of Pinheiro LP.
EFFECT OF BOOK ON MAJE’S CAREER
The law firm further noted that the publication has brought “public ridicule” on Maje, noting that his reputation has been “assaulted, injured and damaged.”
“His professional integrity as one of the leading health and wellness practitioners in Nigeria, and his professional credibility built over the years through dedicated hard work have been besmirched”, the letter said.
According to the law firm, Makinwa’s representation of Ayida in the book was “not a true reflection of who he is, his character and his background.”
DEMANDS OF AYIDA
Maje Ayida, through his lawyers, has, among other things, informed Makinwa to retrieve the already-sold books and stop all forms of distribution, TheCable Lifestyle understands.
The letter mandated Makinwa to “withdraw from circulation all copies of the book and take immediate steps to call in all copies of the book already distributed and deliver up same at the place to be agreed upon by our client for destruction.”
It further said a failure by the popular celebrity to “retract” the “published words” and tender a full page unreserved apology to Maje Ayida in three national dailies “will result in the commencement of legal action.”
Makinwa was also advised to “take immediate steps” to stop the distribution of the books on Amazon, iTunes and all forms of promotion on her social media accounts.
She was given seven days upon receipt of the letter to comply with the demands or they’d be forced to seek legal redress.
The warning letter was said to have been delivered to Makinwa on Monday, December 23, 2016.
Makinwa is set to hold a book reading in Ghana on Friday, February 3.
It can’t be immediately confirmed whether she received the letter of demand.
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