Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised singer Adekunle Gold over the reported imprisonment of a social media user accused of spreading false claims about the musician and his family online.
Speaking during a viral interview circulating across social media platforms, Sowore questioned the decision to pursue legal action that allegedly led to the individual spending more than two years in prison over comments posted on X, formerly Twitter.
According to Sowore, public figures should learn to ignore false rumours instead of using law enforcement agencies to punish online critics and commentators.
“How dare Adekunle Gold, after getting some little money and fame, send somebody to jail for two years for writing something we all know is not true?” he said.
Sowore also referenced his own experience with false reports, claiming he recently received calls alleging that his wife and children had died in the United States.
He explained that he simply contacted them to confirm they were safe and moved on without seeking punishment against those spreading the claims.
The activist further referenced incidents involving public figures abroad, including controversies surrounding the family of former US President Donald Trump and reports involving a Kaduna-based religious leader during the COVID-19 period.
According to Sowore, the situation reflects what he described as a growing culture of oppression among influential Nigerians.
“How can you sit down with police and prosecutors to jail someone for two and a half years because of three lines on Twitter?” he added.
The controversy has reignited conversations around cybercrime laws, online speech, and the increasing arrest and prosecution of social media users over controversial online posts in Nigeria.
As of the time of this report, neither Adekunle Gold nor his wife Simi had publicly responded to Sowore’s remarks.
“How dare Adekunle Gold send someone to jail for two years over something everyone already knew was false?”
— Omoyele Sowore reacts to the controversial case 👀 pic.twitter.com/TgipBqW0FL
— NaijaWide Media (@Naijawide01) May 19, 2026
