Oxlade, an artist, has been fined N5 million by a Nigerian High Court for his involvement in the unauthorized release of a tape featuring himself and a woman named John Blessing. The video involving Oxlade surfaced on social media without the woman’s consent, triggering widespread outrage.
On January 24, 2023, Justice Olalekan Oresanya delivered a scathing judgement, condemning Oxlade’s actions of surreptitiously recording and disseminating explicit content as deplorable, abhorrent, lacking in class, and offensive. In response, Oxlade issued a public apology to both the woman involved and his fans.
In March 2022, Blessing filed a lawsuit seeking N20 million in damages and a declaration that Oxlade’s act of recording their explicit encounter without her knowledge violated numerous laws. She argued that it infringed upon her fundamental rights to dignity, privacy, and freedom from discrimination.
As part of the Terms of Settlement dated January 11, 2023, the judge ordered Oxlade to pay N5 million in damages to Blessing. The payment is to be made in two installments of N3 million and N2 million, respectively.
Oxlade’s actions were not only illegal but also disrespectful towards the woman involved. It is important to always respect other people’s privacy and dignity, and to seek consent before sharing any content involving them. The judgement serves as a reminder that there are consequences for violating someone’s fundamental rights.
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