A lawsuit that has captivated the interest of the Nigerian entertainment industry, acclaimed movie star Funke Akindele, Waje, together with multinational giants Amazon Web Inc. and Apple Inc., find themselves entangled in a N300 million copyright infringement lawsuit.
This legal action, initiated by Nigerian musician Ewaoluwa Olatunji Nicole, also known professionally as Ewa Cole or the “Queen of Afro-Solk,” is a watershed moment in the ongoing battle for copyright protection and recognition in the creative industries.
Nicole’s action, filed in a Federal High Court in Lagos State, targets not just individual celebrities such as Funke Akindele and Bello Abdulrasheed, known as JJC, but also significant organizations such as Amazon Web Inc. and Transsnet Music Nigeria Ltd.
This diversified array of defendants demonstrates the complexities of copyright issues in the digital era, where works can be distributed worldwide with the press of a button.
The heart of Nicole’s complaint is the alleged unlawful use of her songs “Bhad Gyal” and “Opoor” in the musical drama “She Must Be Obeyed,” produced by Funke Akindele and her team. According to Nicole and her legal attorney, Mr. Adewale Williams, the songs were copied and heavily utilized in the series without Nicole’s permission, credit, or pay.
This series, which debuted on Amazon Prime Video in September 2023, has performances by well-known characters such as Waje and Veeiye, providing a layer of celebrity engagement that has only fueled popular interest in the case.
Nicole’s recounting of events depicts treachery and exploitation. She claims that after being solicited by Mr. Tony Age to contribute soundtracks for “She Must Be Obeyed,” and after delivering the recordings with the expectation that Akindele’s team would negotiate remuneration and recognition, she was wrongly informed that her work had been rejected.
Nicole has taken legal action after discovering that her songs were not only used, but also prominently featured in the series without her agreement.
The case stresses copyright as a means of preserving creators’ intellectual property rights. Nicole’s requests include a large N300 million compensation for the infringement of her copyright.
Furthermore, she seeks a perpetual injunction to prevent further unlawful use of her musical works, as well as an order directing the defendants to share 45 percent of the earnings generated by the use, performance, replication, and distribution of the songs in question.
This case exemplifies the difficulties artists confront in protecting their creative works in a fast changing digital context. Funke Akindele, Amazon, and the other defendants view the litigation as a critical test of the processes in place to assure equitable compensation and acknowledgment for creative contributions. As the legal procedures continue, the entertainment sector and its observers hope for a result that will underline the value of copyright and creator rights in Nigeria and worldwide.
To summarize, Nicole’s action against Funke Akindele and her co-defendants marks a watershed event in Nigerian copyright law. It emphasizes the need for clarity, fairness, and respect for intellectual property rights in the entertainment business.
As the case unfolds, it will surely shed light on the complexity of digital copyright enforcement, as well as the importance of all parties navigating these waters with integrity and respect for the creative process.