The Metro Lawyer

The Law Of Defamation In Nigeria: A Shield And A Sword

  INTRODUCTION The
entire
gamut
of
the
law
of
defamation
revolves
around
two
forms:
libel
(written)
and
slander
(oral).
Carefully
observing
how
this
law
operates
will
lead
to
the
undeniable
conclusion
that
people
should
mind
their
own
business
and
avoid
commenting
on
issues.
This
is
not
the
aim
of
this
law,
and
in
its
operation,
the
law
merely
requires
that
an
individual
making
a
statement
about
another
in
any
form
must
be
able
to
stand
by
that
statement
and
defend
it.
This
law
ensures
that
people
do
not
go
about
casting
aspersions
on
each
other
in
any
capacity,
either
personally
or
professionally,
as
reputation
is
a
commodity
built
over
the
years
to
certify
the
integrity
of
an
individual. Three incidents emerge to elucidate the concept discussed in this article; the first is the case of…