The legal conflict between controversial social media figure VeryDarkMan (VDM) and the Falana family has escalated with VDM’s arrival in Lagos for the scheduled court proceedings. VDM, who is facing a defamation lawsuit filed by human rights lawyer Femi Falana and his son, musician Falz, posted a video online confirming his intention to attend the Ikeja High Court on November 14, 2024, for the next phase of the ongoing legal battle.
The lawsuit stems from a phone call VDM shared publicly in September, which he had recorded during a disagreement with crossdresser Bobrisky. In the leaked audio, Bobrisky made controversial allegations involving Femi Falana and his son Falz, claiming that the two had attempted to orchestrate a “presidential pardon” for Bobrisky while he was incarcerated at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, allegedly in exchange for a large sum of money. Both the Falanas have vehemently denied the allegations and accused VDM of defamation, demanding that he issue an apology and retract the statements.
Despite the growing legal pressure, VDM remains steadfast in his position. In his recent video, he reaffirmed his commitment to attending the court hearing, indicating that he has no intention of backing down. “I just arrived in Lagos for the Femi Falana case against me at the Ikeja High Court by 9:00 AM. I came to Lagos ahead of that,” VDM said, expressing his readiness to face the legal consequences. “As you all know, they (Falana and Falz) said I defamed them, but for me, it’s corruption that I exposed.”
VDM’s comments suggest that he believes the defamation allegations are part of a larger attempt to suppress his efforts to expose what he views as hypocrisy within Nigeria’s elite class. In his video, VDM accused the Falanas of not being transparent about their actions, stating, “I see things that don’t make sense, like someone going to prison and not serving jail term or the EFCC, which is expected to catch people involved in corruption, collecting money.” He maintains that his decision to post the controversial audio was driven by his desire to highlight systemic corruption rather than to target the Falana family personally.
During the video, VDM also referred to Falz, the award-winning musician and son of Femi Falana, as a “daddy’s boy” in a sharp remark that added fuel to the already heated dispute. This comment has drawn mixed reactions from both VDM’s followers and supporters of the Falanas. Some social media users have defended VDM, agreeing with his criticisms of the country’s elite, while others have condemned his personal attacks on the Falana family.
The Falanas have not publicly responded to VDM’s latest remarks, but they have consistently maintained that the allegations against them are baseless and defamatory. They have demanded that VDM retract his statements and apologize publicly, giving him a 24-hour deadline to do so. When VDM refused to comply, the Lagos State High Court ordered him to remove the defamatory content before the hearing, which will take place on November 14.
