Nigerian rapper and activist Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, has openly addressed his ongoing legal dispute with social media activist Martin Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM). The feud between the two escalated after accusations surfaced involving Falz, his father, and controversial claims by crossdresser Bobrisky.
The conflict began when VeryDarkMan shared an audio clip on Instagram in which Bobrisky allegedly claimed that Falz and his father, renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana, had offered him a presidential pardon in exchange for ₦10 million after his conviction over naira abuse. However, Bobrisky later discredited the recording, labeling it as “fake” and threatened to take legal action against VeryDarkMan for defamation.
In response to the allegations, Falz and his father demanded that VeryDarkMan issue a public apology and retract the defamatory statements. The case eventually reached an Ikeja High Court, which ordered VeryDarkMan to stop circulating defamatory content about Falz and his father.
Speaking in a recent interview on the Afrobeats podcast, Falz shed light on his attempts to resolve the issue amicably with VeryDarkMan. According to the rapper, his efforts to reason with VDM were met with resistance. “This guy was instantly defensive from the beginning; I’m like ‘bro, try and listen’,” Falz recalled. “What are you instantly fighting about? And he said to me, without mincing words, ‘shebi you’re a lawyer; go to court.’”
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Falz expressed his disappointment over the baseless nature of the allegations, describing them as “horrible.” He emphasized that VeryDarkMan failed to provide any evidence to support his claims. The rapper hinted that the activist might be using the legal battle as a way to gain public attention, questioning, “Is this a calculated attempt to attain ‘heroic status’ through the court battle?”
Falz also pointed out that the case could have taken a more severe direction, but he chose a more measured response. “I’ll have you know that there’s a criminal angle to defamation, and I chose not to go that way. He could have very well been arrested. What you’ve posted is a load of bollocks, absolutely false, and I need you to take it down and offer an apology within a certain amount of time and what did he do? Nothing,” Falz stated.
The rapper expressed particular frustration over how his father, Femi Falana, was being dragged into the controversy. He highlighted the irony of the situation, given his father’s long-standing record of fighting for justice and human rights. “He trampled on every single thing my father stood for, sticking out his neck for the oppressed,” Falz remarked.
Falz concluded his interview with a firm warning, signaling his readiness to face the legal challenge head-on. “If you say you want to find trouble, trouble is my work; it’s my work. If you say that’s what you’re looking for, let’s go,” he declared, underscoring his determination to pursue the case through the legal system.