The High Court in Port Harcourt has upheld the fine imposed on Nigeria’s popular television personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, better known as Daddy Freeze, for adultery. The decision upheld the judgment of the Rivers State High Court which in February 2021 ordered Daddy Freeze to pay N5 million damages to Paul Odekina. The fine came after Father Freeze was found to have committed adultery with Benedicta Elech, who was married to Odekina at the time.
Father Freeze’s complaint alleged that service of the court documents was inconsistent with Rule 7, Rule 2 of the Rules of Court Procedure because he was not personally served before substitute service was effected. He also argued that the courier service was ineffective, but the appeals court rejected these arguments, saying that his approach was not supported by legal precedent.
A panel of the Court of Appeal, consisting of Justices Abubakar Talba, Danlami Senchi, and Hannatu Balogun, emphasized that if Daddy Freeze wanted to challenge the decision of the district court for non-service, he should have filed a counter-affidavit challenging the service. The court considered his appeal groundless and upheld the original sentence.
The Supreme Court ruling not only fined Daddy Freeze but also dissolved the marriage of Paul Odekina and Benedicta Elech. Paul Odekina was given custody of the children and Benedicta was ordered to hand over the children’s passports and birth certificates to him. A restraining order was also issued, preventing Father Freeze from having anything to do with the children until they were of legal age.
In response to the decision, Daddy Freeze announced that he would release an official statement on his social media, after consulting with his legal team. This case highlights the serious legal consequences of adultery under Nigerian law and sets an important precedent for similar cases in the future.
