Adedibu Family, Filmmaker In Dispute Over Biopic As Producer Rejects ₦500m Demand

The family of the late Ibadan politician, Lamidi Adedibu, has clashed with filmmaker Seun Oloketuyi over a new movie titled Adedibu: Alagbara Ibadan. Produced by Oloketuyi under Ultimate Communications and directed by Abiodun Jimoh, the film details Adedibu’s life, political rise, personal relationships, and power in Oyo State.

In a letter sent by their lawyers on October 5, the administrators of Adedibu’s estate accused the filmmakers of producing the biopic without consulting or obtaining approval from the family. The family stated that the movie spreads false claims about Adedibu’s personal life and political career. They strongly rejected how the film shows his early years, home life, and character, saying it presents him as morally corrupt.

Furthermore, the family rejected claims in the film that Adedibu rigged elections using violence and used “amala politics” to control Ibadan residents. They described these portrayals as a deliberate attack on his legacy as a grassroots leader. The family’s legal team noted that the production team failed to interview family members or access their private records. They also alleged that personal photographs, audio recordings, and images were used without permission.

The Adedibu family demanded the immediate removal of the movie, its trailers, and all clips from YouTube and other video platforms. They asked the producer to keep all raw video recordings and scripts, and to stop releasing any future documentaries, short clips, or social media content about Adedibu without written permission from his estate.

The lawyers demanded that Oloketuyi post a three-minute video apology on the same YouTube channel, keep it pinned at the top for 30 days, and publish a printed apology in the Nigerian Tribune within seven days. Additionally, the family demanded ₦500 million in damages for privacy violation and harm done to their family name.

The family gave the filmmaker a 48-hour deadline to comply with these demands. They threatened to report privacy and copyright violations to YouTube, file a petition with the police cybercrime unit, and take legal action at the Oyo State High Court. If taken to court, the family stated they would demand ₦1 billion in damages and a permanent court order stopping the filmmaker from releasing any content about the late politician.

In a legal response sent on October 7, lawyers representing the filmmaker rejected all demands and claims made by the family. They stated that the family failed to point out specific false lines in the film, provide exact timestamps, or share proof showing that the movie’s content was incorrect.

“The video referred to by you is a retelling of the public life and political career of a man who, by every account, was one of the most prominent, most discussed and most documented political figures in the history of Ibadan, Oyo State and South-West Nigeria,” the response noted.

The filmmaker’s legal team argued that all events depicted in the movie are already in the public domain, having been reported across newspapers, books, academic papers, documentaries, and public discussions. They stated that Nigerian law does not require filmmakers to get approval from relatives of a deceased public figure before producing a historical film about their public life.

The lawyers added that the movie used publicly available sources and did not reveal private details of living family members, such as home addresses, phone numbers, or health records. They also questioned whether relatives have the legal right to sue for defamation on behalf of a deceased person.

Despite rejecting the family’s financial and removal demands, the producer offered the family 7 days to submit specific lines, timestamps, and documentary evidence to prove any errors in the film. The filmmaker warned that he would legally defend the movie against any lawsuit and submit a counter-notice if the family reports the video to YouTube. He noted that he would seek financial compensation for lost revenue and business damage if the video is taken down based on false claims.

In a separate notice, Ultimate Communications denied claims on social media that it asked the public or organizations for money to produce the film. The company described the claims as false and stated that its legal team is preparing to take action against those spreading the rumors. The producer described Adedibu: Alagbara Ibadan as a creative project meant to highlight the life of an iconic political figure.

Meanwhile, the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) officially reviewed and approved the movie on October 8 under certificate number 061286, giving it a 15 rating.