A Lagos State High Court has ordered Canada-based singer Stephanie Otobo to pay N100 million in damages to the founder of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Johnson Suleman, over defamation.
Justice Olubunmi Fadipe gave the ruling after years of legal dispute between Stephanie and the cleric, which began in 2017 when she accused Suleman of having a sexual relationship with her.
Stephanie had alleged that Suleman impregnated her, gave her a concoction to terminate the pregnancy and promised to marry her.
The cleric denied the allegations and later pursued legal action against her.
Stephanie later withdrew the claims, saying she had been “heavily paid” by powerful politicians and some pastors to blackmail Suleman.
In 2022, the controversy resurfaced after the singer shared racy pictures on social media, claiming they were intended for Suleman.
According to court documents dated May 5, 2026, Suleman filed an injunction seeking to compel Stephanie to retract her statements. He also demanded N500 million in damages and a full page apology in two national newspapers.
Court records showed that Stephanie was served court summons in November 2022 but failed to acknowledge them. She was also absent in December 2023 when the court fixed a date for commencement of trial.
At the trial which began in February 2025, the court ruled that Suleman was entitled to damages for reputational harm but reduced the amount sought from N500 million to N100 million.
“I award the sum of N=100 million aggravated damages to the claimant against the defendant,” the ruling stated.
“The claim succeeds, and judgment is entered for the claimant against the defendant as follows:
“The sum of N= 100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) as aggravated damages against the defendant.
“A full page unreserved apology to be published by the defendant on the online platforms she utilized in publishing the defamatory statements/words and to also be published on a full page in the Punch newspapers and Sunday Sun newspapers for (7) seven consecutive times commencing not later than 7 (days) after the judgment in this case.”
The court also restrained Stephanie, her agents and associates from making further defamatory statements against Suleman.
The dispute between Suleman and Stephanie first gained national attention in 2017 after the latter publicly accused the cleric of misconduct. Following the allegations, Stephanie was arraigned before a Lagos magistrate court on charges including blackmail, threat to life and attempted extortion, charges she denied at the time.
