Over gay accusation: publish full page apologies or risk going to court - Mudi

For accusing Nigeria’s foremost designer, Clement Enajemo, owner of pan African clothing line, Mudi, of homosexuality, the Lagos based designer who designs clothes for artistes, celebrities and powerful people in the society, has concluded plans to take a Lagos based soft sell magazine, Hints, to court.

Mudi’s media company, Media Image Managers, in a statement released in Lagos disclosed of plans by the Delta state born designer to make the magazine pay dearly for what he described as “a gross defamation of a straight, hardworking Nigerian.”

The designer’s publicist statement condemned in strong terms the publication by Hints magazine describing it as “not only malicious but the highest attempt at mischief. Mudi is pained about this report which is obvious, an attempt to tarnish his good name and reputation. The puzzle for Mudi and his entire family, friends, clients and associates, is what may be the motive behind this hate campaign.

“Consequently, Mudi has contacted his lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo and the magazine will be taken to court in the next couple of days. This kind of killer journalism should be discouraged by any well meaning person and that is why as a law abiding citizen, Mudi is exploring the legal means to seek redress for this damage done to his person.”


The statement accused the magazine and writer of the false and malicious story of trying to bring down the designer. “African society frowns at homosexuality, and so to accuse a real Urhobo man, a successful and happily married man for that matter, of that social stigma is an attempt to bring him to serious disrepute before the Nigerian society and the world at large. And that is why, Mudi is resolved to see this matter to a logical conclusion to serve as a deterrent to anybody that takes delight in maligning his fellow individual.

The magazine has been given seven working days to retract the story, publish full page apologies in national dailies or risk going to court. That is the situation.”

For records purposes, the statement said, “Mudi is not gay, Mudi is happily married, he has never in his life contemplated on being a gay even though he is one who believes every man has the choice to be what he wants to be, but being a gay has never crossed his mind.

He has had no relationship with anybody accused of homosexuality either in the past or at the moment, so it beats him that someone just woke up from his sleep and decided to concoct such a wicked lie that could only come from an evil mind, against an innocent man.”

Niyi Tabiti