Veteran Nollywood actress Rita Edochie has publicly dismissed a ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit filed against her by her colleague and co-wife, Judy Austin, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja. In a sharp Instagram rebuttal, Edochie stated she was “utterly confused” and does not recognize anyone named “Mrs. Judith Yul-Edochie,” maintaining that the only legally recognized “Mrs. Yul Edochie” she knows is Queen May Yul-Edochie.
Judy Austin's Lawsuit Demands ₦1 Billion and Apology
Judy filed the legal writ following an ongoing family feud and shared the court papers on her verified Instagram page, demanding general damages and a public apology. In the lawsuit filed at the FCT High Court in Abuja, the claimant made several specific demands. Judy is seeking ₦1 billion in general compensation for alleged defamatory statements made against her, along with an additional ₦50 million to cover the cost of the legal proceedings.
The suit also requests a full, unreserved apology published in at least two national newspapers and across Edochie's social media platforms, alongside a court order compelling Edochie to take down all allegedly defamatory online posts.
Rita Edochie's Rebuttal Challenges Judy's Legal Name
Hours after the court documents went viral, Rita Edochie fired back via Instagram with a sharp rebuttal, rubbishing the lawsuit. She challenged Judy to present an official marriage certificate capturing her legal name as “Judy Yul Edochie” before she will issue any further legal response, asserting that the threat of a lawsuit is a futile attempt to stop her from speaking out regarding the ongoing Edochie family dispute.
She wrote: “I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM ONE MRS JUDITH YUL EDOCHIE AND UP TILL NOW I AM STILL WONDERING AND UTTERLY CONFUSED ABOUT WHO THE BEARER OF THAT NAME IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANYONE BY THAT NAME. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE ONLY MRS YUL EDOCHIE THAT I KNOW IS QUEEN MAY YUL EDOCHIE. WANTING TO BE ADDRESSED BY THAT NAME IS VERY PROVOCATIVE RIGHT NOW WHICH I TAKE AS A TERRIBLE SLAP ON THE FACE OF THE EDOCHIES. ANYWAY, SINCE YOU ARE INSISTENT ON BEING ADDRESSED THAT WAY, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PRESENT YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE HIGHLIGHTING THE EXACT CONFORMATION OF THAT WEIRD NAME 'MRS JUDITH YUL EDOCHIE' ONLY THEN WILL I GIVE FURTHER RESPONSE TO THIS VERY MESSAGE. DAALU KWANU GREAT LOVERS OF RITA EDOCHIE.”
Impact and Next Steps in the Edochie Family Feud
The lawsuit and Rita Edochie's response have intensified the public dispute within the Edochie family, drawing significant attention on social media. As of now, Judy Austin has not publicly responded to Rita Edochie's challenge regarding the marriage certificate, and it remains unclear whether the legal proceedings will continue or be withdrawn.
