Femi Adebayo, a Nollywood producer, is celebrating a huge victory over film piracy following a three-year court struggle.
On Tuesday, the 45-year-old, who is most known for his appearances in Yoruba films, revealed his challenges and recent court triumph in an Instagram post.
The movie actor also emphasised the negative impact of piracy on the growth of Nigeria’s film industry.
He claimed to have been a “victim of movie pirates” and that he never “spares them”.
According to Adebayo, a media business that runs a radio station and posts video on YouTube stole the poster and title of his movie, “Survival of Jelili,” to promote another movie, confusing fan and taking money away from the original project.
The movie actor stated that he took legal action, and after three years of battle, the court found in his favour, awarded him N25 million.
The actor, who did not identify the company’s name, praised the triumph as “a win for all of Nollywood”.
“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,” he wrote.
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“This is a major reason why investors find it hard to commit their funds to filmmakers. However, through persistence and the use of the legal framework covering intellectual property, we can bring their activities to a gradual halt.
“Several times, I have been a victim of movie pirates and I never spare them. I recently concluded a legal battle with a notable media company that owns a big radio station and also engages in youtube content distribution.
“During the cinema run of “Survival of Jelili” in 2019, my movie was gathering good numbers at that time. They decided to use my movie poster and title to promote a movie on their platform, thereby deceiving fans and diverting revenue accrued to me.
“It took 3 years, but my trust in the legal and justice system remained unwavering. With the dedication of our legal team, Bola Adebowale & Co Legal Practitioners, who are seasoned professionals with wealth of experience in handling such cases.
“They presented undeniable evidence, put up a strong argument, and took the case to trial. Their promptness, efficiency, and attention to detail played a huge part in the direction of the case. We won and were awarded a total of Twenty Five Million Naira.
“This isn’t just my win as a filmmaker and content producer but a win for all of Nollywood. We need to be ready to fight IP theft and piracy at all levels. Every win brings us closer to protecting and getting the true economic value of our works.”
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