ISA AYO SALAMI, J.C.A (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The plaintiff caused to be indorsed on the writ of summons, dated 27th February, 1989, and filed on 1st March, 1989, as follows:
"The plaintiffs claims jointly and severally against the defendants the sum of one million, five hundred thousand Naira (N1,500,000.00) as damages for libel contained in information circular NO.704 dated 21/12/89 signed by the first and second defendants as servants or agents of the 1st defendant and circulated by the defendants among all the managers in the first defendant's branches/area offices in Nigeria".
The plaintiff's amended statement of claim that eventually went to trial are at pages 60, 61, 62 and 63, which are mainly illegible. In that amended statement of claim,the claim was raised to N50,000,000.00. The learned trial Judge, after taking the evidence and addresses of counsel, in a reserved and considered judgment, gave judgment in favour of the plaintiff in these terms -
"Keeping Exh. D i…