Chinenyenwa 'Chichi' Desire Okoebor, the contestant from Big Brother Naija, has taken legal action against Josephina 'Phyna' Otabor, accusing her of defamation of character. The basis for this lawsuit stems from Phyna's statements during the recent BBN 'Level Up' reunion, which Chichi considers defamatory.
During a heated argument on the show, Phyna publicly accused Chichi of abandoning her “husband and children†in Benin City, resulting in the death of one of her children. Phyna also reiterated these claims on Snapchat, further alleging that Chichi had poisoned her friend in Cyprus before leaving. However, both of these allegations were refuted by Chichi and her legal team.
Chichi's lawyers have set forth their terms, demanding that Phyna retract her statements on all social media platforms, publish a retraction in three widely recognized newspapers, and pay A100,000,000 in damages as compensation.
The genesis of these allegations can be traced back to pictures that circulated in January 2023, showing Chichi with a man and a toddler. Many people assumed that they were her husband and child. However, during the reunion show in June, Chichi clarified that the man in the picture was her father's youngest brother and not her spouse. She also denied being married and having children.
As of now, Phyna has not publicly responded to the lawsuit filed against her.
Chichi's legal team argues that Phyna's defamatory statements have had severe consequences for her, resulting in the loss of several endorsement deals and partnerships.