Social media commentator Albert Nathaniel Nii Okai Tetteh Hyde, widely known as Bongo Ideas, has publicly apologized to Ghanaian forex trader Bright Kojo Onipayede, also known as Kojo Forex, following a court ruling that found him liable for defamation.
In compliance with a February 25, 2025 judgment by the Accra High Court, Bongo Ideas issued a formal retraction of statements he made on Twitter that falsely accused Kojo Forex of fraudulent activities.
Public Apology and Retraction
Reflecting on his past remarks, Bongo Ideas acknowledged that his tweets, posted on February 28, March 30, and April 18, 2023, were not only defamatory but also baseless and harmful.
“I acknowledge that my previous statements were false, defamatory, and without any factual basis. I regret having made these statements, as they have negatively impacted the reputation of Kojo Forex and his business endeavors,” he stated.
He further expressed regret for any harm his words may have caused:
“I recognize that my statements were untrue and damaging, and I sincerely apologize for any distress or harm inflicted. In accordance with the judgment of the Accra High Court, I hereby retract the aforementioned statements and publicly apologize to Kojo Forex for my actions.”
Bongo Ideas also assured the public of his commitment to the court’s ruling:
“Additionally, I acknowledge the court’s order for a permanent injunction preventing me from publishing or causing to be published any similar or defamatory statements about Kojo Forex, and I commit to fully adhering to this order.”
Due to the seizure of his original Twitter account (@Bongoldeas) and personal equipment, Bongo Ideas explained that he was unable to make the apology from his previous platform. Instead, he issued it from his new official Twitter account (@Bongoldeas) and vowed to respect the court’s directives.
“I also want to emphasize that I have learned from this experience and will approach my public statements with greater responsibility in the future. I apologize to everyone affected by my actions, and I extend my heartfelt apologies to Kojo Forex and anyone else who may have been harmed by the dissemination of these defamatory statements.”
Court Ruling and Penalties
The apology follows a legal battle that saw Kojo Forex emerge victorious in his defamation case against Bongo Ideas. The court found that the defamatory tweets had damaged Onipayede’s reputation and led to a decline in enrollments at his forex academy.
As part of the ruling, the court ordered Bongo Ideas to:
- Issue an unqualified public apology and retraction within 21 days.
- Adhere to a perpetual injunction, barring him from making similar defamatory statements.
- Pay GHC100,000 in general damages and an additional GHC50,000 in aggravated, exemplary, and compensatory damages.
- Cover GHC20,000 in legal costs.
The case stemmed from a fallout between the two, which began in March 2022 when Bongo Ideas approached Kojo Forex at an event, seeking mentorship in forex trading. After Kojo Forex declined to engage, Bongo Ideas allegedly took to social media in February 2023 to make a series of defamatory claims.
The ruling serves as a significant moment in Ghana’s legal landscape, emphasizing the consequences of defamatory speech on social media.
