Nigerian Skit Maker Sabinus Sues Two Companies A Joint Sum Of 2.65 Million Dollars For Intellectual Theft

   Nigerian comedian and skit maker Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Ejekwu, Also known as Oga Sabinus or Mr Funny has placed a 1 million dollar law suit on two big Companies, Friesland Foods Wamco Nigeria and UAC Food LTD for the unauthorized usage of a trademarked word for advertisement.

  The UAC Food LTD used a cartoon picture of Sabinus  to advertise their Gala sausage rolls while the Friesland Foods used a popular statement used by Sabinus in his comedy skits "Something Hooge" in an advertisement, celebrating their peak national  breakfast week.

  The Port-Harcourt based comedian who just received a prestigious award from Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards as the Best Online Social Content Creator recently, contacted his legal representatives on the issue at hand.

 A 1B naira (about 2 million dollars) lawsuit was then charged at Friesland foods for using the copyrighted word. 500 million naira for the compensation for the un authorized use,   and 500 million naira for emotional, psychological and physical damages caused to the skit maker. 

  Such exorbitant prices may have been charged due to the fact that the post had lots of engagements and attracted lots of traffic to the social media profile due to the copyrighted popular phrase used in it.

 The UAC food that produces the popular Gala sausage rolls were not left out as they had 100 million naira to pay for the infringement compensation. Amongst others, here are the words  found in the  legal document.

The said slogan was trademarked on the 26th of November 2021 with the file number: NG/TM/O/2021/48316. 10. On this note, we make the demand for the payment of the sum of Five Hundred Million Naira (N500m) as compensation for the unauthorized use of the intellectual property belonging to our client.

“And another five hundred million Naira for damages for the trauma; emotional, physical, psychological, and mental trauma our client has suffered for the Trademark theft and infringement of his intellectual property rights.

“We also pass a stern warning for your company to cease and desist forthwith the use of slogans, expressions, imag, or any other intellectual property rights.