Ezra Olubi Wants ₦140 Million And A Public Apology From David Hundeyin

 

For a country that lives online, Nigerians are slowly learning that while there is freedom of speech, there are also consequences.  

This week, Ezra Olubi, the co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer of Paystack, stepped into the headlines again, not for a product launch or personal growth stemming from his reflection on 2025’s brouhaha, but for a legal confrontation.

Olubi has demanded ₦140 million in damages from investigative journalist David Hundeyin over what he describes as defamatory posts made on

X (formerly Twitter). And the terms of that demand are as striking as the controversy itself.

Setting the Stage: Who are the Two Public Figures in Contention?

To understand this story, you need to know about the protagonists:

Who is Ezra Olubi? 

Ezra Olubi is a household name in Nigeria’s tech community. As the co-founder of Paystack, the fintech company acquired in 2020 by Stripe in one of Africa’s largest tech exits, his influence and unapologetic nature have been both celebrated and scrutinised. 

Who is David Hundeyin? 

David Hundeyin is an award-winning investigative journalist and online commentator known for sharp, provocative posts. Whether reporting on politics, business, or society, his commentary often draws strong reactions. 

The current dispute stems from a string of posts Hundeyin made on X (who actually calls that app X?) in December 2025 that went viral across the platform and beyond. 

What Were The Tweets About?

According to Olubi’s legal team, Hundeyin’s commentary included:

·         A direct comparison between Olubi and American mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has faced serious allegations in the United States.

·         Assertions that Olubi displayed a “God complex” and lived with an “absence of consequences.”

·         References to “sexual perversion” in ways that tied back to the Combs controversy.

·         Hundeyin even said he was “willing to bet a good sum of money” that Olubi was a drug addict.

Olubi’s lawyers have labelled these statements “untrue, unsubstantiated, and malicious,” arguing they were designed to portray Olubi as a “dangerous social misfit.” 

Hundeyin’s response was characteristically blunt: he published the legal notice on his own feed with a dismissive, profanity-laden rebuttal, mocking the ₦140 million valuation of alleged reputational harm.

This is not Hundeyin’s first rodeo with lawsuits, as he was ordered by the Royal Courts of Justice, a British court, to pay the sum of £95,000 as damages to Charles Northcott, a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Journalist, for libel in 2024

The Lawsuit and Terms: What Ezra Olubi Is Claiming and What He Wants From Hundeyin

According to reports, Olubi’s lawyers served Hundeyin a pre-action notice; essentially a warning letter that often comes before a full defamation suit.

Ezra’s demand is where the story becomes especially interesting. Ezra Olubi isn’t only asking for money. His demands include a full package of reputational repair.

According to BusinessDay, the terms are:

• Immediate deletion of the allegedly defamatory tweets.

• A public apology addressed directly to him.

• A written undertaking that Hundeyin will not repeat or republish similar statements in the future.

• And most notably: ₦140 million in damages.

That ₦140 million is framed as compensation for the reputational harm and emotional distress caused by the publications. In other words, Olubi is not treating the tweets as casual online banter, but as a serious legal injury.

Understanding Why This Case Is Important To Ezra

To many outside Nigeria’s tech and media circles, this might sound like another internet spat blown out of proportion. But context matters.

In late 2025, Paystack made headlines when it terminated Olubi’s contract following the resurfacing of old social media posts and allegations of misconduct, including claims related to inappropriate behaviour.

While Olubi has maintained that his exit was unfair and violated due process, the public controversy at the time laid fertile ground for further commentary. 

So when Hundeyin waded into that narrative, his posts added fuel to an already smouldering public fire.

It’s tempting to dismiss this as another social media feud between two loud public figures. But the stakes are higher.

Ezra Olubi is a prominent figure whose name is tied to one of Nigeria’s biggest startup success stories. In a world of investors, partnerships, and public trust, reputation is currency.

Does the ₦140m Demand Hold Water?

At first glance, ₦140 million, which is roughly $85,000, may seem like an eye-watering sum. But defamation law isn’t about how many times something was liked or retweeted. It’s about whether false statements caused real harm to someone’s reputation or opportunities.

There are two competing logics here:

1. Reputation Must Be Defended

Olubi is a public figure who helped build one of Africa’s most successful tech companies. False claims that link him to addiction or morally reprehensible conduct, especially when tied to another high-profile legal case, could reasonably affect business partnerships, investor confidence, and personal relationships. A claim like this, if untrue, can linger digitally forever, even if retracted.

2. Journalistic and Public Commentary Are Protected

Hundeyin’s defenders might argue that his statements, however blunt, are opinion and commentary on a larger social issue, especially in light of the controversy already surrounding Olubi’s exit from Paystack.

The fact that Hundeyin rejected the demand outright, choosing to broadcast and mock it instead of retracting, signals he believes firmly in this defence, even if it means a court fight. 

So, What to Do? 

Well, we chill and watch so we can report the outcome. 

However, it’s clear and scary that a single post can define someone to millions and cement the narrative of one’s reputation forever. 

 

 Credit: Pulseng