Drama as BLord Uses VeryDarkMan’s Face on Billboard for New App Promotion, VDM Reacts
- Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Blord used VeryDarkMan's image on a prominent billboard to promote his new app, sparking debates online
- The development came amid ongoing tensions between the two public figures over trademark disputes and fraud allegations
- Some netizens questioned the legality of using his image without consent, while others praised it as brilliant marketing, but VDM's response left many Nigerians shocked
Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Linus Williams Ifejirika, popularly known as Blord, has unveiled a billboard featuring the face of activist and social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, widely recognised as VeryDarkMan.
The billboard was designed to promote Blord’s newly launched Ratel Pay app, which allows users to purchase gift cards and pay bills.
Source: Instagram
The image shows VeryDarkMan holding a phone beside the app’s branding, which has drawn public attention and sparked online debates as many observers questioned whether the the image had been authorised for such marketing use.
Blord shared a video of the billboard on his Instagram page, presenting it as a celebratory moment and describing VeryDarkMan as his ambassador.
"MY AMBASSADOR ON THE BILLBOARD FOR THE FIRST TIME !!! SO CUTE , OGENE VIDEO COMING SOON"
The post quickly attracted reactions online, but what surprised people on social media was VeryDarkMan’s response.
VeryDarkMan replies to Blord's app promotion
Rather than condemning the move, VDM, the Ratel President, acknowledged the publicity as beneficial to his personal brand, explaining that the exposure gave him wider recognition and indirectly promoted his own work.
He expressed gratitude for the visibility, framing the billboard as an unexpected advantage rather than a violation.
"Thank you for promoting my face and the brand ratels……I am grateful ❤️"
Source: Instagram
The relationship between Blord and VerDarkMan
The reaction was notable given the history between the two figures.
Their feud dates back to 2024 when VeryDarkMan accused Blord of fraudulent cryptocurrency practices. The dispute escalated further in early 2026 during trademark disagreements over the “Ratel” name.
These clashes created a tense relationship that often played out publicly, making VeryDarkMan’s acceptance of the billboard campaign a surprising turn in their ongoing saga.
However, Blord has previously characterised the controversies surrounding him and VeryDarkMan as deliberate strategies to generate attention for his ventures.
Check out Blord's post below:
Reactions follow Blord and VeryDarkMan's billboard drama
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of netizens below:
@zoeymetax said:
"I hope BLord got VDM's sign-off before mounting this. We all know VDM doesn't mind a good fight, but if the 'Ratel' trademark isn't sorted, we might be seeing a 'Breaking News' video very soon. Grab your popcorn!"
@NextBigT99 commented:
"These 2 people are busy promoting their businesses, we dey here de drag them no go work you hear?"
@GhostOfberlin_ wrote:
"As dumb as he is .. in never hear of copyright infringement abi... Using someone's image without consent for advertising is a civil offense in Nigeria."
@FavouriteUzi reacted:
"Only that banner alone if vdm take him to court it's an easy win for vdm but vdm doesn't sue remember palmpay was sued by speed Darlington for similar situation and it was an easy win for him because he didn't give them is permission to use is picture."
@joyce.madueke said:
"😂😂😂😂😂😂two of una dey carry us dey go where we know know."
Blord discloses staff salaries at his company
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that cryptocurrency entrepreneur Blord disclosed that entry-level employees at his Blord Group earn a minimum of ₦250,000 monthly.
Salaries scale up based on years of working with the company, reaching ₦400,000 after three years and ₦500,000 after four years.
According to him, the company disbursed ₦1.1 billion in salaries across 2025, paying out ₦90 million monthly to cover its workforce.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
