Defamation: Leave us out of your issues with Umukoro, we gave you fair hearing, Oasis Magazine tells Kigho

Oasis Magazine has said that the demand by the President of Oruarivie Youth Council (OYC), Efe Kigho, for a retraction over an online story published by the media house was uncalled for.

N.O Ogbodu, ESQ.,

S.G. Ediagbonuvie & CO., (LEGAL PRACTITIONERS)., had said in letter addressed to Oasis Magazine on Wednesday, 13th October, 2021

that the story, “CALL EFE KIGHO TO ORDER, UMUKORO TELLS ORUARIVIE – ABRAKA KINGDOM MONARCH” was defamatory.

In a statement signed by the Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Dafe Umukoro, on Thursday, the media house said that with the rejoinder published for Kigho to counter the said story by Umukoro, fair reportage was already served.

"Journalism is about fair hearing and you have since debunked the said story by the same media you are demanding a retraction from," the statement added.

Meanwhile, the fast-growing platform through her law partners, IKIMI OGHENEJABOR & CO.,

(LEGAL PRACTITIONERS) at Suite 4, Favour Plaza,

By Express Junction,

Ovwian, Delta State, in a letter (yet to be delivered) also waived off the retraction call by Kigho's lawyer.

The letter dated 21st October, 2021, said: "Having calmly perused the contents of your letter under reference and the separate interviews granted Comrade Kelly Efemena Umukoro by our client on the 27th September, 2021 and published online same day and the rejoinder our client granted your client on the 1st October, 2021 on the issues raised by Comrade Kelly Efemena Umukoro in his earlier interview and published same day online, we are unable to legally advice our client to retract any of the aforesaid publication or to publish any public apology to your client in any two national dailies or pay your client the sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million naira) as damages as demanded in your letter under reference."

Adding: "We are of the legal opinion that our client having granted your client a right of reply and which said reply was published on the 1st October, 2021 our client had exercised fair hearing and fair reportage of all contending issues raised in your letter under reference."

"In the circumstance, we trust you would advice your client accordingly," the letter added.