Nigerian actor and film producer, Femi Adebayo, has won a three-year-long lawsuit against an unnamed YouTube content aggregator. The court has awarded him a sum of N25 million in damages.
The lawsuit revolved around the aggregator’s deceptive practices involving Femi Adebayo’s 2019 theatrical movie, Survival of Jelili.
The YouTube channel in question put out a film, but used Jelili’s film poster and promotional material. The channel was using it to mislead people into thinking they were watching the actual film. This act boosted the views of the channel, generating revenue streams over time.
The Legal Battle
Femi Adebayo started a legal battle against the YouTube channel that lasted for three years. Finally, the judge ruled in his favour, ordering the aggregator to pay damages amounting to N25 million.
Following the court’s decision, Femi Adebayo posted his thoughts on the matter to his X account. He highlighted the challenges faced by the Nigerian film industry, particularly the impact of piracy and intellectual property theft.
He stated, “The Nigerian film industry has experienced exponential growth over the years, but we haven’t been able to maximise the true dividends of this business because of dare devil pirates who benefit where they didn’t sow.”
In addition, Femi Adebayo further explained how these practices discourage investors from committing their funds to filmmakers.
Ultimately, Femi Adebayo concluded his statement by saying that he sees his victory as more than just a personal win. He views it as a win for all of Nollywood, emphasizing the need to fight IP theft and piracy at all levels. He believes that every win brings the industry closer to protecting and getting the true economic value of their works.
Femi Adebayo Salami is a multi-talented Nigerian film director, actor, lawyer, and producer. Adebayo has a long list of movies to his credit, which includes “Sonto Alapata”, “Wura Ati Fadaka”, “Ma Wobadan”, and “Buga”, among others. He has also produced several films such as “Diamonds in the Sky”, “Survival of Jelili”, “Ile Alayo”, “Etiko Onigedu”, and “And Sisi”.
The Nigerian film industry has experienced exponential growth over the years, but we haven’t been able to maximise the true dividends of this business because of dare devil pirates who benefit where they didn’t sow. This is a major reason why investors find it hard to commit… https://t.co/ejzKS7ONwj
— Femi Adebayo (@realfemiadebayo) May 7, 2024
