A legal dispute has emerged between Prince Emmanuel Onyebuchi, popularly known as “Ebonyi Son,” and Jeremiah Obaji following allegations of defamation linked to social media posts.
The controversy revolves around publications made on Onyebuchi’s Facebook page, “Ebonyi Son,” where he allegedly questioned and criticized claims made by Obaji regarding a long-distance trek.
According to a legal letter issued in March 2026, Obaji’s lawyers said that a post dated March 21, 2026 described their client as a “liar” and accused him of deceiving the people of Ebonyi State and the state government to obtain N10 million.
The allegation was tied to Obaji’s trek from Ikorodu in Lagos State to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, which reportedly covered about 600 kilometres on foot over 17 days in August–September 2025.
Obaji undertook the journey as a personal gesture of gratitude to Governor Francis Nwifuru for helping restore peace in the Effium/Ezza‑Effium community of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, a region that had been plagued by communal conflict. The trek attracted national attention, with Obaji facing hunger, fatigue, and other challenges along the way. Upon reaching Abakaliki, he was publicly gifted N10 million by the governor, and the feat was widely covered across Nigerian media.
The legal letter also referenced an earlier post dated February 25, 2026, in which Onyebuchi allegedly made similar claims disputing the timeline and circumstances of the trek. Obaji’s lawyers argue that these statements are false and damaging, noting that the posts spread across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, drawing reactions that they say exposed their client to ridicule and reputational harm.
The letter further claimed that the posts were made without verification and appeared to be driven by malicious intent. Obaji’s team argued that the publications affected his standing in the business community, with some partners reportedly seeing him as untrustworthy because of the allegations.
Signed by S.S. Ugamah, the legal notice demanded an immediate retraction, a written and unreserved public apology across all Onyebuchi’s social media platforms, including the “Ebonyi Son” page, and a commitment to refrain from further defamatory publications. The letter gave a seven-day ultimatum for compliance.
Failure to meet the demands, the lawyers warned, could result in legal action, including a lawsuit seeking N25 million in damages and possible petitions to relevant state authorities.
As of the time of filing this report, Onyebuchi has not publicly responded to the legal notice, while discussions around the claims continue to trend across social media.