Gbajabiamila: Defending a name against impersonation

By Adeleye Kunle

Many people want to be associated with a good relative. If it is the other way around and a relative is bad, such a connection is frequently despised, despite the fact that nothing can be done about it because one does not choose his relative. What if a non-relative is bad and people make a connection to one simply because they share a surname? That is the misfortune that House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila is currently experiencing.

Suleimon Gbajabiamila, a man on trial in a Lagos court for defrauding a Nigerian living in the United Kingdom, Lateef Adeyemo, of N31 million, has been identified as the Speaker’s brother by some news outlets. One of the most prominent offenders, Sahara Reporters, ran the headline: ‘Brother Of House Of Representatives Speaker, Gbajabiamila, Arraigned In Court For Defrauding UK-Based Nigerian Of N31 Million.’

Suleimon, according to the story, pretended to buy a two-bedroom flat for Adeyemo between September and October 2021. “The plaintiff (Lateef Adeyemo) further revealed that the men who introduced the suspect appealed to him not to worry, because his brother, Femi Gbajabiamila, would intervene in the matter,” Sahara Reporters reported.

“In an effort to recover his money, Adeyemo said he wrote a letter of appeal to House of Representatives Speaker but all moves in that direction proved futile as no response was received from him,” the report continued.

The Speaker’s Media Office responded by denying the report. Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, issued a statement saying, ‘Gbajabiamila Name Semblance Doesn’t Translate to Family, Reps Say.’ Speaker… ‘Warns the Public Against Name-Dropping and Misrepresentation.’

“It has come to the attention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, that one Suleimon, who is on trial in a court of law in Lagos State, is erroneously described as the Speaker’s brother,” the statement said.

“Speaker Gbajabiamila wishes to state that he has no relationship with the said Suleimon and that the Gbajabiamila surname does not and should not imply that he is a family member.”

“The Gbajabiamila family is large, with many branches, as many other families do.” As a result, not everyone with the surname Gbajabiamila is related to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.

“The public is hereby informed that the said Suleimon is not the brother of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, as some sections of the media have incorrectly reported.” Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila warns the public not to fall for individuals who profit from name-dropping and misrepresentation.

“This press statement also urges the media to refrain from linking the said Suleimon to House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.”

To claim that social media is the primary source of fake news would be stretching the truth. Some people have become overnight journalists thanks to smartphones and blogs, and they publish stories that violate media ethics, such as never publishing stories about which one is unsure. If in doubt, leave it out, as the saying goes. This raises the question of whether Tracknews were certain that Suleimon Gbajabiamila is the Speaker’s brother.

People with similar names can be found all over the world. In Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff was the late Abba Kyari, and when Mele Kyari was appointed NNPC GMD, some reports circulated that Mele is the COS’s younger brother. It was not correct. Despite the fact that they are both from Borno State, Mele is Kanuri and Abba is Shuwa. The COS was also named after the estranged supercop Abba Kyari. If you thought they were related, you’d be surprised to learn that the cop is from Yobe State. Other notable examples of namesakes include Yusuf Alli, an Olympian from Edo State, and an Abuja-based editor from Kwara. There is also Victor Akande, a Lagos State legislator and an entertainment journalist. There are people with similar surnames who are not related all over the country. They could even come from different regions, states, or religions. It would be imprudent to draw conclusions about their relationships based solely on the fact that they share names. Journalists owe it to the public to ensure that identities and facts are not mixed up. When an error occurs, responsible journalists know how to edit and then apologize because facts are sacred.

While some journalists use clickbait to sell their stories, this must be distinguished from outright fabrication. A major Nigerian newspaper headline screamed a few years ago, ‘Olusegun Obasanjo held for selling marijuana.’ Naturally, the fact that the former president was selling marijuana piqued my interest. However, I was disappointed to learn from the report that it was just a local gangster with the same name as the former president. While the headline was deceptive, the story was accurate. However, this is not the case with the story involving an alleged fraudster and the Speaker’s brother.

According to my understanding, the accused passed himself off as related to the Speaker, or some reporters were malicious and intent on publishing falsehoods while reporting the news. In either case, the error is that of the journalists, as it is their responsibility to verify what is to be published.

The significance of upholding a family name is not lost on Gbajabiamila, who recently turned 60. While one may bear the sins of family members, being tarred for the sins of one’s namesake should be avoided.

The report by Tracknews and others that slandered the Speaker is sour because it did not confirm the authenticity of the accused’s relationship with the Speaker. The responsibility of facts comes with the power of publishing. Now that the Speaker has come out against the accused’s relationship, it is up to the news outlets to either prove the Speaker is lying or admit their mistake and apologize.

While it is commendable that the Speaker’s Office issued a rebuttal, such actions should be punished as a deterrent. Not everyone has the resources of a media office to respond to such violations. Perhaps the Speaker will file a lawsuit against them. Above all, media watchdogs such as the Nigerian Press Council should ensure that people’s reputations are respected.

Suleimon Gbajabiamila’s case is currently before Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun, with the next adjournment set for Monday. In order to continue reporting on the matter, it is recommended that the involved news outlets refrain from repeating the error.

More checks will be required to sanitize our media space now that anyone can be a reporter thanks to the Internet. It’s past time for the Nigerian Press Council to start weeding out obstinate media outlets.