EXCLUSIVE: Maje Ayida hires British lawyers to sue Toke Makinwa over ‘fabricated’ book

Following the release of a tell-all memoir documenting her relationship with Maje Ayida, Nigerian media personality Toke Makinwa, has been asked to stop the sales of the book and all forms of promotional activities.

The request was made of Makinwa by Maje Ayida, whose lawyers have also sent the on-air-personality, a “letter of demand”.

Makinwa’s book, On Becoming, had detailed her account of her relationship/marriage to Ayida, a fitness expert.

In the book, the television personality accused Ayida of giving her sexually transmitted diseases, and of being a serial cheat.

The legal documents describe the book as nothing but “exaggerated fabrication”.

The book which was published November 27, 2016, by Kachifo Limited, was said to contain “defamatory words”.

TheCable Lifestyle understands that Maje Ayida has hired law firms in both the United Kingdom and Nigeria to handle the case.

They are Carter-Ruck, a leading defamation law firm in the UK to top figures like Simon Cowell, Elton John and Chelsea FC while Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) of Pineiro LP is heading the legal front in Nigeria.

THE BONE OF CONTENTION

According to the letter of demand sent to Makinwa, her estranged husband was said to have “requested legal separation” from her “within 6 months” of their marriage in January 2014 — “when it became clear that the marriage was breaking down”.

Makinwa was alleged to have signed a legal separation agreement in July 2014, TheCable Lifestyle was informed.

The letter said it was well documented that Makinwa and Ayida had agreed to separate by July 2014, which the book failed to record.

“The book misleadingly describes the circumstances at the time,” the letter read.

Pinheiro LP, the Nigerian law firm, said it was untrue that Maje had given her an “STI in the past or at any stage in their relationship”.

The law firm also noted that it was “highly misleading” for the book to allege that Maje “did not financially contribute adequately” to the marriage.

“The publicity sought by you has been relentless, and limitless,” said Adebowale Kamoru in the letter of demand, on behalf of Pinheiro LP.

EFFECT OF BOOK ON MAJE’S CAREER

The law firm further noted that the publication has brought “public ridicule” on Maje, noting that his reputation has been “assaulted, injured and damaged”.

“His professional integrity as one of the leading health and wellness practitioners in Nigeria, and his professional credibility built over the years through dedicated hard work have been besmirched,” the letter said.

According to the law firm, Makinwa’s representation of Ayida in the book was “not a true reflection of who he is, his character and his background”.

DEMANDS OF AYIDA

Maje Ayida, through his lawyers, has, among other things, informed Makinwa to retrieve the already-sold books and stop all forms of distribution, TheCable Lifestyle understands.

The letter mandated Makinwa to “withdraw from circulation all copies of the book and take immediate steps to call in all copies of the book already distributed and deliver up same at the place to be agreed upon by our client for destruction”.

It further said failure by the popular celebrity to “retract” the “published words” and tender a full page unreserved apology to Maje Ayida in three national dailies “will result in the commencement of legal action”.

Makinwa was also advised to “take immediate steps” to stop the distribution of the books on Amazon, iTunes and all forms of promotion on her social media accounts.

She was given seven days upon receipt of the letter to comply with the demands or they’d be forced to seek legal redress.

The warning letter was said to have been delivered to Makinwa on Monday, December 23, 2016.

Makinwa is set to hold a book reading in Ghana on Friday, February 3.

It can’t be immediately confirmed whether she received the letter of demand.

Messages sent to her by TheCable Lifestyle were unanswered.