Facts:

In the High Court of Lagos State, the plaintiff now the respondent in this appeal claimed against the defendant/appellant;

“(a) N500,000.00 (five hundred thousand Naira) being damages for libel contained in the ‘President Magazine’ Volume I, No. 27 (of November 20, 1989) published and widely circulated by the defendant within and outside Nigeria.

ALTERNATIVELY

) N500,000.00 (Five hundred thousand Naira) damages against the defendant for innocently negligently or deliberately and falsely misrepresenting (sic) or crediting to the plaintiff statements which the plaintiff never uttered and by reason of which the plaintiff has suffered untold damages.”