11/07/2026
Education is power but the illiterate claps at every sound without knowing the real rhythm 🪘
SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LAWSUITS
It has become clear to us that many people do not understand how a civil lawsuit works. Your level of ignorance paints a picture of youngsters lost in the bush and struggling to find their way out. Rather than get angry over that lack of knowledge, we believe it is better to explain the process and educate you. That is, if you are willing to learn.
Suppose Mr. A decides to sue Me. B for defamation or cyberbullying. In Mr. A's lawsuit, he may ask the court to award him damages. He can state almost any amount he chooses. For example, he may claim ₦1.5 billion. He could even claim ₦100 billion if he wanted.
However, the amount he claims in his court papers does not mean the court will award him that amount, or any amount at all.
First, he must prove that he has a valid legal claim. If he cannot prove his case, he will recover nothing. Even if he establishes liability, he must still prove the actual loss or damage he suffered before the court will award compensation. Simply writing a large figure in a lawsuit does not entitle him to receive it.
Before the court can even consider his case, he must properly serve Mr. B with the court documents and the supporting materials required by law. Once Mr. B is served, he has the right to respond. He can deny Mr. A's allegations, present his own evidence, and explain why he believes he did nothing wrong.
There is something even more important. When Mr. B files for defence, he may also bring his own claim against Mr. A. This is called counterclaim.
For example, while Mr. A is asking the court to order Mr. B to pay him ₦1.5 billion, Mr. B may argue that Mr. A caused him ₦3 billion in damages and asks the court to order him to compensate him (Mr. B) instead.
The court will then hear both sides, examine the evidence, and decide who, if anyone, is legally liable. It is entirely possible that the court may dismiss Mr. A's claim completely and award him nothing. It may then go on to uphold Mr. B's counterclaim and order A to pay B damages.
In other words, a person who files a lawsuit can end up being the one who has to pay the person they sued.
One final point: if you file a lawsuit but fail to properly serve the person you sued with the court documents, the case cannot proceed in the normal way. Filing papers alone is not enough. Proper service is a fundamental part of the legal process.
We decided to write this because many people mistakenly believe that once Mr. A sues Mr. B, it automatically means Mr. B is in trouble.
That is simply not how civil litigation works.
In some cases, being sued may even give Mr. B the opportunity to bring a strong counterclaim against Mr. A. At the end of the trial, the court may conclude that Mr. A deserves nothing, while Mr. B is the one entitled to compensation.
That is why no one should assume that filing a lawsuit means victory. In court, it is the evidence, not the size of the claim, that determines the outcome.
NOTE: Instead of blocking those making silly assumptions about lawsuits, we decided to teach them first and remove them if they fail to learn.
