Nollywood actress Zaynab Adunni Adewale famously known as Adunni Ade has returned to the entertainment spotlight after a 2021 interview in which she spoke candidly about her Islamic faith resurfaced online, even as the Muslim actress continues to attract attention for her role in Netflix’s new Nigerian thriller series, Ordinary People.
The interview, titled “Adunni Ade discusses battle with depression and more on #WithChude,” was conducted by media personality Chude Jideonwo and published on April 20, 2021, as part of his #WithChude series.
The conversation has resurfaced and gained fresh attention online, particularly for Adunni’s candid account of her decision to openly identify as a Muslim, her spiritual journey and the reactions she said followed her public declaration of faith.
The renewed attention has also brought back into focus an important part of Adunni’s Islamic journey that Muslim News Nigeria documented earlier, when the actress granted the publication an exclusive interview published on April 28, 2020, about her return to Islam.
‘I am just saying what works for me, is Islam’
Speaking to Chude, Adunni explained that she had initially been reluctant to openly identify as a Muslim because of what she perceived as the attitude towards Muslims within the entertainment industry.
“In my line of work, it is almost forbidden for you to publicly say you are a Muslim. You could be looked down upon for doing that. It is just something that I noticed,” she said.
The actress stressed that, for her, Islam was not merely about outward appearance but about what lies within a person and how they treat others.
“Islam for me, is not all about outward look. It is what is within. How you treat others,” she said.
Adunni said she eventually became tired of keeping her faith private and decided to openly acknowledge her religion.
“I came out publicly with my religion because I was tired of keeping it a secret,” she said, adding that she had attended different churches during her spiritual journey.
“I am not saying Christianity is not a good religion. It is not for me to say. I am just saying what works for me, is Islam,” she stated.
Losing fans after revealing her faith
Adunni also recalled the reaction that followed her public identification as a Muslim.
According to the actress, some of her Christian fans unfollowed her after discovering her faith, while others sent messages to her private account expressing their disapproval.
“And I lost some fans for revealing that I am a Muslim. They unfollowed me. Some people even came to my DMs to bit out whatever spirit they thought was within me. Some were praying for me,” she said.
She added that many Muslims embraced her following the disclosure. “A lot of Muslims embraced me. But I really don’t care about that. It is just for me and what works for me,” she said.
Adunni reacts to resurfaced interview
Adunni has now responded to the renewed circulation of the old interview, questioning why a conversation from years ago has suddenly become a major talking point in 2026.
In a recent video shared online, the actress expressed frustration over the renewed attention and questioned why the interview had not generated the same level of interest when it was originally released.
“It has been brought to my attention that I’m trending on Twitter, why the hell is a six years old interview trending in 2026? Why didn’t you guys watch it back then?” she asked.
She also recalled the criticism she received during Ramadan in 2020 after she fasted.
“I was fasting that Ramadan year and you people said I was chasing clout on top religion. I went to church and so and so,” she said.
Adunni further expressed frustration over what she described as criticism regardless of what she did, saying: “I talk, problem, I don’t talk, problem.”
She then asked those criticising her: “What have I done to you people?”
Muslim News documented her return to Islam in 2020
Long before the Chude interview resurfaced, Muslim News Nigeria had documented Adunni’s Islamic journey in an exclusive interview conducted by Rasheed Abubakar and published on April 28, 2020.
In that interview, Adunni confirmed that she was born to a Muslim father and Christian mother and was raised as a Muslim.
Actress, Adunni Ade Zaynab speaks exclusively with Muslim News about her reversion to Islam
She explained that she later embraced Christianity and attended different churches during her spiritual journey before returning to Islam on December 31, 2016.
The actress spoke openly about the difficulty she experienced in making the decision public, particularly because of concerns about how people might perceive her within the entertainment industry.
Adunni also described her return to Islam as a source of fulfilment and happiness.
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