“Let’s Start GoFundMe”: Fans React As Iyabo Ojo Laments Over N18m Tax Issue With Lagos Government
- Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has updated her fans on social media about her troubles with the Lagos state government over tax
- According to the movie star, she was slammed with an N18 million bill, and all efforts to pay in installments were turned down by them
- Iyabo Ojo attributed this to being witch-hunted after speaking up during the presidential and gubernatorial elections in the country
- A Nigerian accountant, Mrs Ifeoluwa Soetan, spoke with Legit.ng on installment tax payments and more
Actress Iyabo Ojo has cried out on social media about her tax problems with the Lagos state government.
In June 2023, the movie star revealed that the Lagos state government had slammed her with an N18 million tax bill for her to pay within seven days.
Source: Instagram
In a new development, the movie star once again took to Instagram to lament about her situation.
Ojo said because some people see her as too outspoken and confrontational, they do not want her opinions to be heard unless they align with their own.
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The mum of two claimed that she is being witch-hunted and it is ‘eating deep’ into her soul.
Not stopping there, she went ahead to mention some of the times she spoke out against injustice that put her in the bad books of many people.
Iyabo Ojo said she is being targeted because she defended a young girl who was molested by her senior colleague in the movie industry, Baba Ijesha.
She also claimed her decision to support the Labour Party instead of All Progressive Congress (APC) during the presidential election made some to oppose her.
The movie star said she was slammed with an N18 million personal income tax by the Lagos state Internal Revenue Service (LIRS).
She also revealed that the government gave her only three months to pay up while continuously turning down her payment plan.
According to Iyabo Ojo, people should not blame celebrities when they choose not to speak about certain issues because it usually comes with a lot of consequences.
She wrote in part:
“Now I must pay a compulsory best of judgment based on my celebrity status by the LIRS of over 18m personal income tax.... so now i have paid from 2014 - 2019..... but i must pay the remaining of almost 18m for 2020 - 2022 b4 the end of Nov or go to court.... every effort on my part to reduce it was rejected, even when i had to forcefully accept it, my payment plan has also been rejected, i even had to write an apology letter, yet they refuse to give me an easy payment plan, now tell me if this is not witch hunting, and I'm suppose to stay silent .
Since 2020, which was the Covid 19 lockdown season, who really made money, tell me? if i had made so much i wouldn't have bought my house on mortgage, since 2020 my business has been going through ups and downs, yet i still constantly pay all my business tax, mortgage tax, loan tax etc......
I'm the breadwinner, over 30 people depending on me, dollar rising almost everyday, fuel high, diesel high, everything expensive, but still I was given 3 months to pay over 18m, how????? The money we make, the bills are so overwhelming even to save is a problem...
Which kind of business will you people have me do to make a profit of 18m to pay you this period...Why is my payment plan being denied, Why?”
See her post below:
Fans react as Iyabo Ojo laments over N18 million tax bill
Iyabo Ojo’s social media cries caught the attention of many netizens after her post went viral.
Many of them sympathised with the actress as they toyed with the idea of crowdfunding for her.
Read some of their comments below:
Yemi.taylor:
“Let's set up a GoFundMe to assist Aunty Iyabo. No one deserves the kind of victimisation from the government just because she's chosen to be a voice for the voiceless and weak in society.”
iam_vhiky:
“Go thru a consulting firm ....maybe one of the big 4..oh any good one...kpmg ,pwc,ey or get a good tax lawyer or tax consultant !!!”
ada_amakassy:
“Wait a minute…. Govt that ain’t even working!!!! what are those taxes used for ? cos am not seeing it !??? A dead functional administration.. that pockets the money for their great grandchildren.”
Oyinlomodiamond:
“But why is her payment plan being denied? She didn’t say she won’t pay, but should be given more time. Why the deadline? A lot of questions running through my head. Before y’all say she should go and pay and not seek social media pity, remember, she’s not the only one doing business amongst the celebrities in Lagos, but she’s the only one that was being billed outrageously, since she stood her ground on Baba IJESHA’ case. It’s well, we can’t tag our governor.”
thefoodnetworknig2:
“Don’t blame celebrities who don’t lend their voices, doing so comes with a lot of consequences”…. I felt that.”
Efiweofficial:
“Lmaooo. Govt no send you o. All this explanation no go cut am, unfortunately.”
lala_camilla:
“They clearly have a vendetta against her naija can’t stand ppl who are free thinkers and f*ght for what’s right. This is injustice.”
elohim__elsha:
“You people make all that money but don't want to pay tax.tell okoye with that his bent waist to pay it for u. He always acts like he got too much money.”
tobluzo:
“When u dey condemn Tinubu for here E dey sweet u.....now make u pay tax nah wahala u never see anything.”
gems0fbeauty:
“This country don spoil ajeh. Are you not supposed to pay tax before ? Pls stop playing victim
Go and pay your tax.”
Dolapo_mee:
“Same thing Seun kuti was saying, No be say most of the celebrities can’t speak up. Buh the fear of the aftermath didn’t let them.”
iam_fearlessqueen:
“A gofundme should be opened to support Aunty Iyabo on this tax issue. For real, she has done more good to the society than most of the bbn alumni y’all contribute money and gifts for. If not a gofundme, an account should be opened and people should throw in their support for her, so she can pay off this money and those witch hunting her can let her be. We know these are consequences of her speaking up for the common man and we need to keep supporting her and shame the enemies clan.”
paul_of_dubai:
“You have the right to a payment plan. Go to court if they deny you that right. You won't rub a bank to pay your taxes. Every sane world allows payment plans for debts like taxes. You got a strong case. Love you.”
able5803:
“Pls let's start up a gofund for this wonderful and amazing woman with a selfless heart, let's tell them she has us behind her and shame them to the mud.”
drramat:
“@iyaboojofespris open a go fund me, I’m sure there are people that will be willing to support, starting with me. Let’s do this!”
Tax payers can pay in installments but it's not a right
A Nigerian accountant, Mrs Ifeoluwa Soetan, shared her thoughts with Legit.ng on Iyabo Ojo's tax problems. According to her, the actress should start off by employing a tax consultant. Not stopping there, she said that tax payers are allowed by law to apply for installment payments but it is not a right.
She said:
"I believe that with everything in life approach matters alot. First of all she should employ a tax consultant. By law tax payers can apply to make payments in installments but it's not a right. It's at the discretion of the tax office.
But in most cases even people who have the money ask to pay in installments so they can use their money for other operational issues.
What I think is because of her approach to the matter calling out LIRS on social media, that's possibly why they insist on her paying at once. Instalment payment is not a right ..she should have used a tax consultant."
N18 million is a fair amount
Speaking further, the accountant said that Iyabo Ojo's N18 million tax bill is a fair amount for three years. She said:
"In my opinion N18m is a very fair amount. Personal income tax is based on world wide income and all benefits in kind. I think the N18m for 3 years Which is N6m in a year , is very very reasonable . The issue on ground now is approach because the law doesn't give legal right to instalments."
How netizens dragged Iyabo Ojo & Tonto Dikeh
Legit.ng earlier reported that Ojo and Tonto Dikeh received tonnes of backlash online over the videos they did while scouting for the right casket to buy for the late Nigerian singer Mohbad.
The pair took it upon themselves to ensure the departed artist gets a befitting burial after investigations about his death are concluded.
However, some Nigerians expressed their discontent with the videos shared by the pair during their visit to a funeral mart.
Source: Legit.ng
