Nollywood actress and filmmaker Adunni Ade has announced the death of her mother, saying she died on Sunday, 18 October, after a prolonged illness.
Ade disclosed the loss in a tribute shared through her official Instagram account on Monday. She described her mother as the strongest person she had known and said the family would announce funeral arrangements later.
“My mother was the strongest human I ever met,” the actress wrote. “She fought so hard to stay with us, but Heaven said it was time. I will miss her every single day, but I am comforted knowing she is at peace.”
Ade said her mother was surrounded by family before her death. She added that the family was grateful for the messages of support it had received and asked the public to keep them in their prayers.
Public condolences followed the announcement from colleagues across Nigeria’s film industry. Actors Yemi Solade, Sophie Alakija, Eso Dike, Damilola Oni, Rotimi Salami and Linda Osifo were among those who responded to the actress’s post with messages of sympathy.
The announcement followed years in which Ade had spoken publicly, though sparingly, about her mother’s health. In 2019, she shared photographs taken during a hospital admission and described her mother as strong and a fighter. She did not disclose the nature of the illness then, and her latest statement also did not provide further medical details.
Ade’s mother had occasionally appeared in family photographs shared by the actress. Ade was born in the United States to a Yoruba Nigerian father and a mother of European-American background, and she has frequently referred to the influence of both sides of her family on her life.
The actress has built a career across Yoruba and English-language Nigerian film. Her company biography identifies her as a Nigerian-American actor and executive producer who studied accounting at the University of Kentucky before moving from corporate work into modelling and entertainment.
She later returned to Nigeria and established herself in Nollywood, appearing in films and television productions while also developing work through Lou-Ellen Clara Company. Her production credits include the comedy-drama Soólè, which she executive-produced.
Ade is also the mother of two sons. Her public work has often combined acting, film production and accounts of family life, although she has kept many details concerning her relatives outside the public domain.
Her company says she has worked on more than 200 film and television productions. It also records an Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards nomination among her professional recognitions. Those credits have placed her among the Nigerian actors who have moved between screen performance and production while maintaining a presence in both Yoruba-language and English-language cinema.
The death comes at a time when Ade remains active in Nigerian film as both a performer and producer. Her announcement drew attention across the Yoruba and wider Nollywood community, with colleagues concentrating their responses on support for her and her family rather than on the circumstances of the illness.
No cause of death beyond the prolonged illness mentioned in the announcement has been made public. The family has not released details of burial or memorial services.
