Court Fines Glo, Airtel, 9mobile Over Copyright Infringement On Okiki Bright Musical Work

A Federal High Court in Lagos on 9th July, 2021 fined some
telecommunication giants; 9mobile, Airtel, Globacom and others sum
of N2 million over copyright infringement of Okiki Bright musical
work Gbagbe boshe sele.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo delivered judgment in suit number:
FHC/L/CS/1776/2017 in favour of Nigerian hip hop Artiste, Raji
Mutiu Okiki popularly called Okiki Bright held that 9mobile,
Airtel, Globacom and other infringed on the copyright of Okiki
Bright for using his musical work titled Gbagbe boshe sele as
caller tune for commercial exploit without his consent and
authorisation.

The court resolved that Okiki Bright and Oritsefemi are not
co-owners of the song “Gbagbe boshe sele” saying featuring
Oritsefemi in a song does not make Oritsafemi a co-owner of the
said song.

The plaintiff in his suit filed by his counsel, Alayo Akanbi
prayed the court to declare him as the exclusive owner and original
composer of the musical work titled Gbagbe boshe sele, and that
unauthorized use of his song as caller tune by the
telecommunications for commercial exploit without his authority
amounts to infringement on his copyright to the musical work.

Okiki Bright equally asked for monetary damages cumulatively
against the defendants for infringing on his intellectual
property.

In his statement of claim, the plaintiff averred that he paid
the star artiste, Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele to feature in his song
in order to get more acceptability and that he was still working on
promoting his song, when people drew his attention to the fact that
his song was now on caller tunes of some telecommunications
companies.

Justice Oweibo awarded general and exemplary damages in the sum
of N2 million and cost of N500,000 each against the
telecommunication companies and in favour of the Plaintiff.

While speaking with counsel to Okiki Bright, Alayo Akanbi who
commended the judge for a well-researched and sound judgment and
said that the judgment will go a long way to discourage
intellectual property theft and wished that the court should have
awarded greater punitive damages against the Defendants as
deterrent.

On his part, Okiki Bright said the judge has passed the judgment
in his favour but he was surprised about the award of damages in
the meager sum of N2 million and that the amount cannot cater for
his expenses since 2017 when the case started. In his words, ‘I am
going to consult my lawyer for my next action’.

A Federal High Court in Lagos on 9th July, 2021 fined some
telecommunication giants; 9mobile, Airtel, Globacom and others sum
of N2 million over copyright infringement of Okiki Bright musical
work Gbagbe boshe sele.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo delivered judgment in suit number:
FHC/L/CS/1776/2017 in favour of Nigerian hip hop Artiste, Raji
Mutiu Okiki popularly called Okiki Bright held that 9mobile,
Airtel, Globacom and other infringed on the copyright of Okiki
Bright for using his musical work titled Gbagbe boshe sele as
caller tune for commercial exploit without his consent and
authorisation.

The court resolved that Okiki Bright and Oritsefemi are not
co-owners of the song “Gbagbe boshe sele” saying featuring
Oritsefemi in a song does not make Oritsafemi a co-owner of the
said song.

The plaintiff in his suit filed by his counsel, Alayo Akanbi
prayed the court to declare him as the exclusive owner and original
composer of the musical work titled Gbagbe boshe sele, and that
unauthorized use of his song as caller tune by the
telecommunications for commercial exploit without his authority
amounts to infringement on his copyright to the musical work.

Okiki Bright equally asked for monetary damages cumulatively
against the defendants for infringing on his intellectual
property.

In his statement of claim, the plaintiff averred that he paid
the star artiste, Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele to feature in his song
in order to get more acceptability and that he was still working on
promoting his song, when people drew his attention to the fact that
his song was now on caller tunes of some telecommunications
companies.

Justice Oweibo awarded general and exemplary damages in the sum
of N2 million and cost of N500,000 each against the
telecommunication companies and in favour of the Plaintiff.

While speaking with counsel to Okiki Bright, Alayo Akanbi who
commended the judge for a well-researched and sound judgment and
said that the judgment will go a long way to discourage
intellectual property theft and wished that the court should have
awarded greater punitive damages against the Defendants as
deterrent.

On his part, Okiki Bright said the judge has passed the judgment
in his favour but he was surprised about the award of damages in
the meager sum of N2 million and that the amount cannot cater for
his expenses since 2017 when the case started. In his words, ‘I am
going to consult my lawyer for my next action’.