The bitter online feud between tech entrepreneur Linus Ifejirika, popularly known as Blord, and social media activist Martins Otse, widely referred to as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has taken a dramatic legal and branding turn, further fuelling conversations across Nigeria’s digital space.
After months of public exchanges and accusations, tensions escalated when Blord reportedly moved to legally secure the name “Ratel,” a term long associated with VDM’s loyal followers and online identity.
The latest twist surfaced on January 19, 2026, when Blord announced via his Instagram story that he had officially trademarked “Ratel” as a business brand. He disclosed that his legal team had been instructed to issue a cease-and-desist letter to VDM, demanding that the activist stop using the name without prior approval.
“I have directed my SAN to issue a cease and desist to VDM to stop using my brand name ‘Ratel’. He will have to get my approval henceforth before using that name,” Blord wrote, igniting widespread reactions and debate online.
The controversy is rooted in a long-running dispute dating back to October 2025, when VDM publicly accused Blord of business fraud and overpricing goods, including phones and vehicles, during a trip to China purportedly aimed at helping Nigerian entrepreneurs source cheaper products. The accusations triggered months of heated social media exchanges, petitions to authorities and, at one point, the temporary disappearance of Blord’s Instagram account.
The term “Ratel” has since become synonymous with VDM’s brand of social activism, serving as a nickname for his supporters and a core part of his online persona. Blord’s decision to launch a fintech app bearing the same name — designed to enable gift card trading, bill payments and cryptocurrency transactions — was therefore viewed by many observers as a calculated and provocative move.
The development reignited broader conversations around intellectual property rights, personal branding and ownership in Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.
However, VDM was quick to push back. In response, he insisted that he had already trademarked “Ratel” in September 2024 and challenged Blord to publicly present evidence backing his claims. In a viral video, VDM accused critics of blindly taking sides and demanded proof. “Bring out your certificate and approval. I am waiting,” he said.
VDM also addressed ethnic sentiments surrounding the dispute, claiming that some Igbo commentators had wrongly framed the feud as an ethnic attack rather than a personal and legal disagreement.
Beyond the legal arguments, the activist maintained that the identity tied to “Ratel” transcends paperwork. According to him, the name represents resilience, dominance and doggedness — values he says cannot be confined to trademark certificates alone.
In a surprising twist, Blord later renamed his app from “Ratel” to “Ratels,” even as online users continued to demand that he release the alleged trademark documentation, especially following VDM’s claim of prior ownership.
The drama took another unexpected turn when Blord later alleged that the entire episode was scripted and mutually planned with VDM, describing the controversy as a calculated strategy to amplify both of their brands.
As the saga continues, the feud underscores the blurred lines between rivalry, branding and spectacle in Nigeria’s increasingly influential online culture.