By Isaac Mission
Emmanuel Obasi, the estranged husband of Nollywood actress Judy Austin, has reacted to the defamation lawsuit filed against him, saying he is not worried about the legal battle and instead sees it as an opportunity to reconnect with his children.
Austin reportedly filed a suit against Obasi and her sister-in-law, Rita Edochie, over alleged defamatory statements. She is seeking more than N1 billion in damages from each of the defendants.
Reacting to the development, Obasi said he had been informed about the lawsuit before it became public and was not troubled by the legal action.
Rather, he described the situation as a possible opportunity to see his children, whom he claims he has not had access to for more than 12 years.
‘I’m happy she sued me’
In an interview with TheCable Lifestyle, Obasi said the lawsuit gave him a reason to remain hopeful about reconnecting with his children.
He reportedly said he was pleased that the matter had gone to court because it could create an opportunity for him to see his children after many years apart.
According to him, he expects the children to be present when the case begins in court in September.
Obasi’s long-running custody concerns
The businessman had previously alleged that he was denied access to his children for several years following the breakdown of his relationship with Austin.
In 2024, Obasi claimed that he had been unable to see his children for more than a decade.
He alleged that he had made efforts to travel to Enugu to see them but was repeatedly unable to gain access.
The latest lawsuit has therefore taken on an additional significance for Obasi, who believes the court proceedings could provide an avenue for him to finally see his children again.
Rita Edochie defends Obasi
The development follows comments by veteran actress Rita Edochie in support of Obasi after he became emotional during a recent interview on The Honest Bunch podcast.
Edochie attributed his emotional reaction to what she described as years of frustration and difficulties surrounding his attempts to maintain contact with his children.
She also claimed that Obasi had made repeated efforts to visit his children in Enugu but experienced setbacks in his attempts to see them.
With the defamation case expected to come before the court in September, attention is now focused on the legal proceedings and their potential implications for the parties involved.
