A Nigerian court has sentenced social media user Samuel Adeboye Adeyeye, widely known online as Swanky_concept, to two years in prison after he admitted to spreading false information about the daughter of popular singers Adekunle Gold and Simi.
The conviction stems from a viral post on X, formerly Twitter, in which Adeyeye falsely suggested that the couple's daughter, Deja, had passed away. In the post, he wrote: “My sincere condolences to the Adekunle family. Rip to Deja.” The post quickly circulated across social media platforms, causing widespread outrage among fans and other users.
According to reports, Adeyeye was arraigned in court on May 14, where he pleaded guilty to charges related to spreading false information with malicious intent, cyberbullying, and defamation. He was subsequently sentenced on May 15 to two years imprisonment.
This incident has reignited conversations about misinformation, online harassment, and the growing culture of “clout chasing” on social media. The false post had earlier drawn widespread condemnation from Nigerians, including media personality Do2dtun, who criticized the trend of fabricating stories about celebrities and their families for engagement and online attention.
Many social media users have reacted to the court ruling, with some describing the sentence as a strong warning against fake news and malicious online behavior. Others argue that the judgment reflects an increasing willingness by Nigerian authorities and courts to clamp down on cyberbullying and harmful misinformation targeting public figures and private individuals alike.
The case comes amid rising scrutiny of online misinformation in Nigeria, especially on X, where false celebrity death rumors and fabricated stories frequently trend before being debunked. Adekunle Gold and Simi have not publicly commented on the sentencing as of the time of filing this report.
