The Ministry of Justice in Ekiti State, through the Directorate of Citizens Rights (DCR), has initiated legal proceedings on behalf of Ekiti-born Chef Damilola Adeparusi, also known as Chef Dammy. The lawsuit is against Pastor Jeremiah Adegoke and the Ekiti State Police Command, alleging violations of Chef Dammy’s rights.
The DCR is also seeking a compensation of N10 million for damages suffered by Chef Dammy, who gained popularity after her unsuccessful attempt to break the Guinness World Record for a cook-a-thon challenge in June of this year.
Pastor Adegoke, the head pastor of Spirit Word Global Mission, a church based in Ekiti, reportedly supported Chef Dammy’s endeavor to break the cook-a-thon record previously held by Hilda Baci. However, a controversy arose between the chef and her pastor in October, when the 24-year-old raised concerns about threats and intimidation from individuals she referred to as “people of God” and her pastor. As a result, the police invited Chef Dammy for questioning following a petition filed against her by Adegoke. The specific cause of the dispute between the chef and her once-supportive pastor is still unclear, but it appears to be related to the failed cook-a-thon.
In response to Chef Dammy’s public outcry, Adegoke, through his lawyers at Bisayo Sule & Co legal practitioners, issued a letter on October 23, 2023, demanding a retraction of the alleged defamatory statement on social media, an apology published in two national newspapers, and a payment of N22 million as compensation for damages. He gave Chef Dammy seven days to comply with these demands or face legal action.
However, on November 24, a lawsuit was filed by the DCR, naming Chef Dammy as the applicant and Adegoke, Ajewole Samuel (the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police), and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 17 Akure, as respondents.
The lawsuit aims to obtain a declaration that the persistent harassment, molestation, threats of arrest, and intimidation by both the pastor and the Nigerian police are violations of Chef Dammy’s fundamental human rights.