Kevin Keshi, the former editor of actress Monalisa Chinda
and fiancé Lanre Nzeribe's magazine, Monalisa, is dragging Lanre, their company
and two police officers to court. Recall that Keshi came up with an allegation
of how the actress and her society boyfriend use people as slaves in their
company with meager salaries and why resigned his appointment. However,
Monalisa Chinda did not take her claims to sleep, as she vehemently replied
saying that Keshi is a lair, who didn’t have the qualification to be an editor
as he doctored his CV. The fight has moved to a new dimension, as Keshi is
dragging all parties involved to court.
Below is a statement released by Kelvin's Lawyers:
“Compliments of the season. We are solicitors to Mr. Kelvin
Keshi and write on his behalf. In view of the unbalanced report of City People
Magazine not verifying information before publishing, in disregard of some of the sacrosanct principles of journalism of balance, fairness
and objectivity, we hereby state our client's case.
On Friday, our office, Megafield Solicitors filed an action
against Monalisa Chinda, Lanre Nzeribe, his company, Lantana International
Ltd., the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and two police officers, whom
Monalisa and Lanre have been using.
Background: Kelvin Keshi, who my office represents, was a
staff of Genevieve Magazine. He joined the company in 2008 as a Staff Writer,
rose to the position of Senior Staff Writer and later rose to the position of
Assistant Features Editor. In April, 2013, a former staff of Genevieve
Magazine, one Isaac Oladipupo recommended Kelvin Keshi to Lanre Nzeribe, MD of
Lantana International Lltd. Lanre said his Company wants to go into lifestyle
publication and wanted Kelvin to resign and be the editor of the magazine.
Kelvin resigned in April, 2013, did the foundational work, including
recruitment of staff and gave general editorial direction to the proposed magazine.
On the 3rd of June, 2013, Lantana International Ltd, through
Lanre Nzeribe issued him a three months provisional employment and unilaterally
changed the agreed negotiation to Assistant Editor. He had also deliberately
delayed the appointment letter until Kelvin had started work to reduce the
chances of rejection of the offer, which was a breach of their verbal
agreement. In trying to cover up his gimmick and betrayal of trust, he promised
to make the employment permanent after three months.
But in the second month Lantana International, publishers of
Monalisa Magazine started owing salary and after extracting enough editorial
contents from Kelvin Keshi, announced to workers that the magazine was
suspending its editorial unit. That was late August. Two months’ salary was
owed as at this time. No termination was made. Kelvin demanded for his salary
arrears and the company made payment of July salary with a promise that August
salary will be paid later. Monalisa and Lanre then cut off communication with him,
consequent on him going online to report the injustice meted out on him by the
company.
Monalisa and Lanre, in particular felt offended and using
Monalisa as a front as usual, wrote a letter to the Lagos state police command,
alleging that Kelvin stole the company’s identity card, flash drive, internet
modem and laptop (the laptop Kelvin uses belongs to him and was bought by him
with proof of receipts). It was obviously a crooked and calculated ploy to turn
the disagreement between both parties on its head and make it appear as a
criminal matter so he could involve the police to harass Kelvin.
He reported, and one DSP Thompson, whose action and body
language portray a man that has been bought by the ‘couple’ called Monalisa and
Lanre ‘my clients.’ He declared Kelvin guilty while investigation was still
on-going, ordered him to be detained for over 36 hours. As a condition for his
release and payment of his August salary arrears, the said DSP Thompson
instructed retraction of the publication, return of the company identity card,
internet modem and flash drive. All the conditions were met. But Lanre Nzeribe
and Monalisa vowed that the salary will not be paid. They kept instigating the
police to arrest and charge Kelvin to court for a matter that police have no
business with. IF THERE WAS NO TERMINATION, KELVIN CANNOT BE SAID TO HAVE
STOLEN IDENTITY CARD, MODEM AND FLASH DRIVE THAT WERE GIVEN TO HIM BY THE
COMPANY.
What was done was suspension of the editorial department and
not termination of his employment. Monalisa and Lanre also doctored his C.V and
claimed that Kelvin lied that he was the Editor of Genevieve Magazine before he
joined them. Kelvin has never lied about his qualifications or experience; he
lets his work do the rest for him. And why would Monalisa lie so brazenly and
hollowly just to cover her guilt tracks? What reason does Kelvin have to lie
about his qualifications or CV? Genevieve Magazine’s staff list and the
corresponding position is published on the team list page in every edition. The
publisher of Genevieve Magazine is her friend and adopted mentor, so DID THEY
(she and Lanre) NOT MAKE THEIR INDEPENDENT FINDINGS BEFORE EMPLOYING HIM?
Lanre and Monalisa also doctored the employment letter as
published by City People Magazine when they removed the name of LANTANA
INTERNATIONAL LTD and published an employment letter without a letterhead. WHAT
IS LANRE NZERIBE HIDDING? IS LANTANA INTERNATIONAL LICENSED TO GO INTO
PUBLISHING?
In view of the fact that the police is delving into a pure civil
matter and the failure of the police to act on our petition of 22nd October,
2013 to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, against the actions, conduct
and utterances of DSP Thompson, leader of the investigating team, we went to
court for the court to determine if the matter is a civil matter or a criminal
matter and whether suspension is the same thing as termination. The matter
comes up on the 16th of January, 2014.
Monalisa also granted and interview to City People last week
where she alleged amongst other that Kelvin Keshi is not a qualified
journalist. While we will address the defamatory angle next year at the high
court, we want to also make clear some facts in response to Monalisa’s
malicious but comical and empty lies in the said interview.
Kelvin has a degree (HND) in Mass Communication from the
Federal Polytechnic, Auchi; and has distinguished himself in his field of
expertise since his undergraduate days. While at school, he was the editor of a
campus magazine. At the NYSC camp after graduation in Obubra, Cross River
State; he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Orientation Broadcasting Service
(OBS). With an excellent track record at the camp, the NYSC state secretariat
ensured he was posted to the Cross River Broadcasting Service (CRBC), Calabar
strictly on merit. He was the President of the Publicity CDS Group and
Editor-in-Chief of the NYSC Passing Out magazine.
On completion of NYSC, Kelvin worked as Reporter/Researcher
with the News Magazine;was Editor of
Genexx Magazine; and was Staff Writer, Senior Staff Writer and Assistant
Features Editor at Genevieve Magazine in less than three years. He has authored two novelettes, Bukky and
Friends; and Agu, the son of the gods – which are both highly rated and
gradually making inroads in the literature market. So what qualifications was
Monalisa talking about?
Lastly, she made an amusing claim when she said they
‘helped’ Kelvin by hiring him. That was the height of clannishness. On the
contrary, it was Kelvin who ACTUALLY did Lanre and Monalisa a huge favour by
agreeing to lend his knowledge, skills and experience to them in laying the
foundation of the place. Kelvin insists Lanre and Monalisa had no clue about
how to achieve what they wanted until he gave the blueprint, editorially and
administratively.
Monalisa Chinda ordinarily ought to be a role model to her
'fans.' Why would she delve into
fabrication of documents, criminal distortion of truth by giving police false
information, and defaming on the pages of the media the reputation and
integrity of a well qualified journalist by calling him half-baked and
unqualified? The courts will decide.
Let us also state here that with regard to the ‘office
romance’ Monalisa kept harping on in her desperate attempt to clean up her
mess, the lady in question was only a colleague and is still a friend of Kelvin
Keshi. Kelvin has a fiancée who is also
a close friend of the lady. That is where it ends. Monalisa attempts on this are too tame and
inconsequential. No need to dissipate further energy on this point.”
6 Comments
Monalisa ws talkin uncontolably..
ReplyDeleteBut she said d guy wsnt qualified buh ow cm na dat he is.Dats ow d elite class treat d lower class in our society.Too bad!
ReplyDeleteJulia u don't 4get fings. Dat ws d exact words she used 'kelvin doctored the cv he presented to us'
ReplyDeleteHe tuk d rite decision let dem go to court
ReplyDeleteGbege!!! She feels she has a voice more than d guy
ReplyDeleteToo bad for them
ReplyDelete