A statement from the editor of Global Excellence
magazine, Kunle Rasheed, who was picked up and released by the police on
Wednesday July 31st in connection with an alleged libelous story against
businessman My Tunde Folawiyo. Find it below...
"It is necessary to set the record straight regarding the
alleged adultery story written in some news mediums about Mr. Tunde
Folawiyo. To the best of my knowledge, his alleged amorous affair with ex-Miss
Lux, Mrs. Ifeoma Williams, has been a feast for the online
media for along time. This I never knew, though, until my attention was called
to it by Tunde’s younger brother, Yomi, a friend, who, knowing I
wield some level of popularity among journalists, asked me to help talk to
online publishers who had published the story on their blogs to please take
them down. I did not disappoint.
A few days after succeeding in taking off the story from the
internet, Yomi again called my attention to the fact that two weekly magazines
namely Encomium and Global News have written the story, but according to him,
Global News owned by Segun Ogunbunmi did not do an objective
piece.
It was then I urged Yomi to create familiarity with major players
in the media so they would see him as a friend. He agreed and called a meeting
with some editors. The Global News publisher, Segun Ogunbunmi, was part of the
meeting. We all met for about one hour at a lounge on Opebi Road, Ikeja. We
chatted intimately before we left the venue.
Yomi later called a fresh meeting and he specifically requested
for Segun Ogunbunmi to be part of it. Convinced that that second meeting would
further cement his relationship with the Folawiyos, having being singled out
based on the story published in his magazine, I ensured that Segun attended the
meeting. It was while the meeting was in progress that some policemen banged on
the three of us and whisked us to the Zone 2 police headquarters in Lagos
Island where they said we were wanted for questioning. Surprisingly, on getting
to Zone 2, the police said that Segun was their target, so they asked both Yomi
and I to go free. It was there and then that I realized I had been used by the
Folawiyos to nail a friend and professional colleague.
Meanwhile, I was shocked to behold later how the police had caused
a statement to be issued in the media labeling me a criminal that was arrested
for criminal libel and that I was only released on bail. For the record, I have
not written anything on the Folawiyos for some months. The only one I did of
recent was about Yomi Folawiyo’s child dedication. I also caused some of my
media friends to publish it in their respective publication.
Therefore, I’m asking the Folawiyos to produce a proof of the
claim that I have libeled them. With my experience in the last three days, I have
come to realize that the intention of the Folawiyos is just to rub my treasured
name in the mud. In a civilized world, Tunde Folawiyo should know what a civil
case is; as such he should not resort to
harassing innocent persons.
A good name is more desirable
than great riches and to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
On this basis, I demand a full apology from the Folawiyos; failure to do so, I
will seek redress in the law court.
Tags
Society