Last week, there was quite a stir on social media after Linda Ikeji published an article on her blog revealing John Abayomi, a Punch Newspaper editor, as the owner of Instablog9ja. This attracted a lot of reactions from many Nigerians and celebrities who Instablog9ja has published something about in the past.

This information almost led to the sack of John Abayomi by Punch Newspaper who threatened to sue him to court if their investigations confirm the allegation which seems to be false now. However, John Abayomi yesterday gave Linda Ikeji a 48hours ultimatum to tender an apology to him on her blog or face legal actions.

Abayomi through his lawyer, Falana and Falana’s Chambers claimed that the publication with the headline, “LIB Exclusive: Meet the owner of Instablog9ja-John Abayomi” has put his life and that of his family in danger. Falana said Linda’s claim that Abayomi is the owner of Instablog9ja is untrue and unfounded, but only calculated to lower Abayomi’s esteem and damage his reputation and professional career.

“Your publication has put him in the harm’s way, thereby endangering his life and the lives of his family members. It has also attracted a lot of negative reactions from members of the public including celebrities who has been eager to know the face behind the blunt and sarcastic blog because of the method of reportage”.

“Your mendacious publication was clearly actuated by malice in that it was deliberately done to portray our client as an imposter, a fraudster and a blackmailer” “In the light of the foregoing, we have our client’s firm instructions to demand an unqualified apology together with a retraction of the libelous publication in the edition of your blog (Linda Ikeji blog) in addition to having the retraction published on Instagram.

“However, if you fail or refuse to accede to our client’s demands within 48 hours of the receipt of this letter, we shall have no option than to initiate civil proceedings against you at the Lagos State High Court without further recourse to you”. A reliable source has also rubbished reports that board members of Punch Newspapers met over Linda Ikeji’s publication.

“It is totally untrue. There was no such meeting. Everybody close to him, including his employers are aware that Linda Ikeji’s publication was completely untrue,” the source said. Linda Ikeji has now tendered an apology as was demanded of her and also went ahead to reveal the real owners of Instablog9ja.

According to Linda Ikeji‘s Blog, the article on the blog titled “LIB exclusive: Meet the owner of Instablog9ja – John Abayomi”, the name, John Abayomi was mistakenly identified by his picture as the owner of Instablog9ja. The real owners are John Abayomi Aruleba and Tosin Dotun Adeyemi not John Abayomi of Punch Newspaper.

Retraction and correction: John Abayomi Aruleba is the owner of Instablog9ja not John Abayomi In an article on Linda Ikeji’s Blog titled “LIB exclusive: Meet the owner of Instablog9ja – John Abayomi” published on November 15, 2018 John Abayomi was mistakenly identified by his picture as the owner of Instablog9ja.

This mistake was as a result of the exact similarities in the names of John Abayomi who is an Online Editor with Punch and another John Abayomi Aruleba who is the actual owner of Instablog9ja. The picture identification mistake from our staff was sadly as a result of the uncanny yet not uncommon similarities in the names of these two individuals.

LIB is happy to set the record straight, take full responsibility for the mix-up as we tender our unreserved apology to John Abayomi of Punch Newspapers for any inconvenience this mistake has caused. Our publication was meant to reveal the identity of John Abayomi Aruleba (pictured above), the owner of instablog9ja who shares the same business address as his father, Dr Aruleba owner of Aruking herbal herbs with business address in Lagos. The fact however still remains that John Abayomi Aruleba runs Instablog9ja with his partner, Tosin Dotun Adeyemi