Nollywood actress Adunni Ade has won multiple legal battles in recent years over publications she described as false, defamatory and damaging to her reputation.
The actress has consistently maintained that inaccurate reports linking her romantically to former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye violated her privacy and harmed her public image.
Her legal actions have resulted in significant court victories, including millions of naira in damages and court orders directing the removal of defamatory content.
Here’s a timeline of the major developments.
January 2023: Controversial Publication Sparks Dispute
The legal battle can be traced to January 2023, when a Nigerian online news platform published a story listing Adunni Ade among actresses allegedly linked romantically to former Senator Dino Melaye.
The actress denied the claims, insisting the publication was false, misleading and defamatory.
According to her, the report caused reputational harm and subjected her to public embarrassment.
2023–2024: Demand for Retraction
Following the publication, Adunni Ade sought legal remedies and demanded that the allegations be withdrawn.
Her legal team argued that the reports lacked factual basis and unlawfully associated her with claims capable of damaging both her personal and professional reputation.
The dispute later expanded beyond the original publisher as similar content continued to circulate online.
July 2024: Adunni Ade Files N100 Million Lawsuit
In July 2024, Adunni Ade instituted legal proceedings against Google LLC and Meta Platforms Inc.
She sought N100 million in damages, alleging that defamatory publications linking her to Dino Melaye remained accessible through their platforms.
The actress argued that continued access to the content violated her constitutional right to privacy and caused emotional and psychological distress.
She also asked the court to order the removal of the publications.
April 2025: Meta Removed From the Suit
As the case progressed, Adunni Ade discontinued proceedings against Meta Platforms following the company’s preliminary objection.
The court consequently struck out Meta’s name, leaving Google as the remaining defendant.
The litigation then focused on Google’s continued hosting and indexing of the disputed content.
July 9, 2025: Court Awards N30 Million Against Google
On July 9, 2025, Justice I.O. Harrison of the Lagos High Court delivered judgment in favour of Adunni Ade.
The court awarded the actress N30 million in general damages after finding that the publications had violated her fundamental rights.
Justice Harrison also ordered Google to remove the offending publications from Google Search and YouTube, together with references linking the actress to the defamatory allegations.
In the judgment, the court stated that once a violation of fundamental rights has been established, further proof of damages is unnecessary.
2025: Separate N20 Million Court Victory
The Google judgment came only months after another legal success for the actress.
In a separate privacy breach case involving a Nigerian news organisation and one of its reporters, the Lagos High Court awarded Adunni Ade N20 million in damages.
The case also arose from publications alleging a romantic relationship between the actress and Dino Melaye.
The court ruled in her favour, further strengthening her legal efforts to challenge defamatory reports.
2026: Judgment Publicly Revealed
Although the judgment was delivered in 2025, Adunni Ade publicly shared details of the Google case in 2026 through her Instagram page.
Posting a copy of the court judgment, she wrote:
“Adunni Ade Vs Google. Not every battle needs a response. Some need a courtroom. Unto the next.”
The post quickly attracted widespread attention from fans, colleagues and legal observers, with many applauding her decision to pursue legal action rather than engage in public arguments.
Why the Case Matters
Adunni Ade’s legal victories have become one of Nigeria’s most notable celebrity defamation cases involving digital platforms.
The judgments highlight the legal remedies available to individuals who believe false online publications have damaged their reputation or violated their rights.
They also demonstrate the growing willingness of Nigerian courts to address disputes involving online content where legal standards are found to have been breached.
As digital publishing continues to expand, the cases are likely to remain important reference points in discussions about online defamation, privacy rights and responsible journalism.
Timeline Summary
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 2023 | Publication linking Adunni Ade to Dino Melaye appears online. |
| 2023–2024 | Actress challenges the publication and seeks legal redress. |
| July 2024 | Files N100 million lawsuit against Google and Meta. |
| April 2025 | Meta exits the lawsuit after preliminary objection. |
| 2025 | Lagos High Court awards Adunni Ade N20 million in a separate privacy breach case. |
| July 9, 2025 | Court awards N30 million against Google and orders removal of defamatory content. |
| 2026 | Actress publicly shares the judgment on Instagram. |
