Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has criticised singer Adekunle Gold following the sentencing of a young man, Adeboye Samuel, over a social media post involving the artiste’s daughter.
Samuel was reportedly jailed after making claims online concerning Adekunle Gold’s child, a development that has sparked debate over free speech and the use of cybercrime laws in Nigeria.
Reacting to the incident, Sowore referenced an old social media post made by Adekunle Gold during the nationwide protests that followed the removal of fuel subsidy under former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.
The resurfaced post by the singer read: “Dear God, if you give us Dagrin back, we will give you Jonathan in return.”
Sowore argued that the singer freely expressed his views at the time without facing legal consequences because freedom of expression was protected.
Sharing his reaction on X, Sowore wrote: “@AdekunleGold in 2012 openly criticising then-President @GoodluckJonathan. Back then, it was rightly called free speech, and if he had been arrested for those tweets, we would have been on the streets demanding his immediate release.
“How then does someone who benefited from freedom of expression turn around years later to use the police, courts, and the brutal cybercrime framework against ordinary Nigerians over online banter and social media exchanges?
‘You cannot enjoy free speech when you are powerless, and criminalise it the moment you become influential. Freedom of expression must apply to everyone, celebrities, politicians, activists, and poor young Nigerians on social media alike.”
The activist also called on the Nigeria Police Force to stop being used as what he described as a private enforcement tool for wealthy and influential individuals.
He further urged the judiciary to refrain from imposing severe punishments over online comments and internet-related speech, insisting that such matters should not be treated as criminal offences.