Nollywood actress Adunni Ade has secured a legal victory of ₦30million naira after the Lagos State High Court ruled in her favour.
The victory follows a defamation and privacy lawsuit filed against Google LLC, Meta Platforms Inc., and Vanguard Media Limited.
According to reports, the suit emanated from online publications that falsely linked the actress to an alleged romantic relationship with politician Dino Melaye. Adunni argued that the reports were false, defamatory, violated her right to privacy and damaged her reputation.
Delivering the judgment on June 24, 2025, the court ordered Google and Meta to remove the offending publications from their platforms and awarded the actress ₦30 million in general damages for the harm caused to her reputation.
Among the publications challenged in court was an article titled “Six Popular Nigerian Celebrities Who Have Been Accused of Dating Dino Melaye,” published on January 18, 2023, which identified Adunni as one of the alleged celebrities. Another publication contained explicit claims about an alleged relationship between the actress and the politician, an allegations the court found to be defamatory.
However, the judgment has been hailed as a significant decision on online defamation and digital privacy, reinforcing the responsibility of publishers and digital platforms to prevent the spread of false and damaging content.
By Musekir Faisat Omolara
