There are reports that Ikoyi Club 1938 has issued Modupe Alakija, husband of billionaire oil magnate, Folorunsho Alakija with a letter of suspension as member of the recreational facility.
He is said to have physically assaulted another member of the club, Ashish Gajjar following their disagreement over a facemask.
A letter dated 27th of October shows the response of Mr Alakija to a mail sent to him by the club to give his side of the story.
In the letter obtained by TheCapital, Alakija described the incident as a “criminal matter” which he did not believe a committee set up by the club had the power to try.
He said that a friendly discussion had ensued between him and a protocol staff of the club on “whether an officer of the Nigerian Police Force duly empowered and armed under an extant Law of the National Assembly could be stopped from entering any premises in Nigeria except certain parts of airports and airplanes.”
Alakija said he removed his facemask in the course of the discussion which reportedly held at the entry point of the club.
“The Complainant, without, knowing the subject of the debate and without showing any form of decorum, with all arrogance, rudely and crudely shouted at me, to put on my mask. All your staff testified to this crude and rude intervention,” he said, adding that he told Mr Gajjar to “mind his business.”
It was gathered that Gajjar reminded him of the rules and COVID protocols the club had adopted.
“In gross violation of my constitutionally guaranteed right to privacy, he brought out his camera and started to videotape me without my consent and or permission,” Alakija continued.
“On his refusal to delete the photos as I demanded, I decided to hold on to his shirt, in order to stop him from absconding and taking my pictures away with him.”
Alakija said he held Gajjar because the recording could end up in the hands of kidnappers or assassins.
He added that Gajjar knew the club had its own CCTV.
“I have commenced proceedings against the Complainant at the High Court for a grant of relief for the breach of my Constitutionally guaranteed right,” he said.
Alakija termed the matter sub judice, as he has served the complainant with a notice of intention to commence legal proceedings.