His name?
Oba Sir Ladapo Samuel Ademola II, Alake of Abeokuta.
In 1934, long before the world would unite to fight Nazi Germany, an African traditional ruler dared to challenge Adolf Hitler’s propaganda machine — and triumphed.
Oba Ademola sued the German state broadcaster for airing a racist documentary that portrayed Africans as primitive and uncivilized. The film had been broadcast across Europe and ridiculed African royalty and traditions. Incensed by the insult to his people, the Alake — who was then on a diplomatic mission to Europe — hired a legal team and filed a defamation suit in a Berlin court.
Against all odds, the court ruled in his favour. Germany was forced to withdraw the film and issue a formal apology. This remarkable legal victory not only defended African dignity but exposed the strength of African intellect and diplomacy at a time when colonial stereotypes dominated the narrative.
Yet today, Oba Ademola’s bold stand is rarely remembered — a Nigerian king who beat the Third Reich in its own courts.
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