Reality TV star and former Big Brother Naija winner Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has threatened legal action against streamer and comedian Carter Efe over alleged defamatory remarks made during a livestream.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a pre-action letter dated July 30 and signed by Segun Ojienoh of Eko Solicitors & Advocates, Phyna accused Carter Efe, whose real name is Joseph Oderhohwo Efe, of falsely claiming during a livestream on July 25 that the two had engaged in a sexual relationship.
According to the letter, the content creator repeatedly stated, “You slept with me,” during a broadcast streamed on Twitch and X.
Phyna’s legal team argued that the statement falsely portrayed the reality star as someone who engages in sexual relationships to secure appearances on livestreams, alleging that the remark has exposed her to public ridicule and seriously damaged her reputation.
“As you coldly calculated, the sinister statement has since been rebroadcast on numerous platforms and by handles which are legion, thereby escalating the untoward damage already visited on Phyna,” the letter stated.
The lawyers further argued that the statement carried damaging implications beyond its literal meaning.
“The above defamatory words which you uttered were packed with innuendos suggesting that Phyna will sleep with anyone with a significant online following in order to get featured on livestreams, especially when the statement is rationalised alongside the sentences uttered in the sequence following the defamatory words.”
In the pre-action notice, Phyna demanded that Carter Efe retract the statement within seven days of receiving the letter, publicly undertake not to make similar remarks in the future, and issue the retraction through the same livestream platforms where the allegation was made.
While the lawyers said Phyna is not currently seeking financial compensation, they warned that legal proceedings would follow if the demands are ignored.
“Consequently, PHYNA NOW DEMANDS THE FOLLOWING:
“1. that you retract this statement within 7 days of your receipt of this letter in a contrite manner.
“2. that you publish an undertaking that you will not assassinate her character again.
“3. that your retraction be via a livestream on the same channels that you used to mutilate her character.
“4. She graciously demands nothing more – she chooses to set the value of monetary damages demanded at N0.00 (Zero Naira, Zero Kobo) at this stage.”
The legal team, however, warned that failure to comply with the demands would leave their client with no option but to institute legal proceedings and seek substantial damages.
“If you do not meet any – or all – of the above demands, TAKE NOTICE THAT, without prejudice to other rights, reliefs and remedies available to her, Phyna will be seeking legal redress against you by claiming a sum not less than a sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) only as general, exemplary and aggravated damages, for the malicious damage you did to Phyna’s character.”
As of the time of filing this report, Carter Efe had not publicly responded to the pre-action letter or the allegations contained in it.
