By Segun Adebayo
Gospel singer and evangelist Tope Alabi has threatened legal action against individuals responsible for publishing and circulating statements she considers false, misleading and defamatory.
The singer’s solicitors, Oakmount Legal Practitioners, issued a public notice warning members of the public against making or sharing publications capable of damaging her reputation.
The lawyers said Alabi had spent nearly three decades building a reputation for integrity, honour and public trust across her personal, professional and spiritual life.
They described the reputation as a valuable asset protected by law, warning that publications capable of undermining it could attract legal consequences.
According to the firm, Alabi had become aware of statements allegedly containing false, misleading and injurious claims about her, which were being circulated through print and broadcast media, online platforms and word of mouth.
The notice cautioned that individuals who publish statements considered defamatory could be held personally liable where the circumstances establish an actionable claim and no applicable legal defence protects the publication.
The lawyers also warned social media users against assuming that sharing content originally published by another person automatically exempts them from responsibility.
They said liability could, depending on the circumstances, extend to those who repeat, repost, forward, share or otherwise amplify the material in question.
The firm further cautioned that using anonymous accounts, pseudonyms or unverified identities would not, in itself, guarantee protection from legal action.
It added that Alabi reserved the right to seek appropriate court orders to identify individuals behind the publications through relevant platforms and service providers, where permitted by law.
Those who had already circulated the disputed material were urged to take it down immediately
and refrain from further publication. However, the lawyers noted that removing a post would not automatically eliminate potential liability arising from its earlier publication.
The notice stated that Alabi had instructed the firm to commence legal proceedings against individuals whose actions gave rise to actionable claims, without further notice or recourse.
Among the remedies the singer may pursue, where legally justified, are damages, injunctions to prevent further publication, court-ordered retractions and public apologies, as well as recovery of legal costs.
The notice did not name the individuals allegedly responsible for the publications or specify the particular statements that prompted the legal warning.
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