Singer Ewa Cole has taken legal action against music executive JJC Skillz and director Funke Akindele, alleging that they violated her copyright by using her songs in the movie “She Must Be Obeyed.”
The series was produced by SceneOne Entertainment and co-directed by Akindele and JJC Skillz.
featured notable actors like Nancy Isime, Abdulateef Adedimeji, Akah Nnani, Veeiye, Waje, Patience Ozokwo, and Rachael Okonkwo, among others.
Cole, through her lawyer Adewale Williams, claimed ownership of the songs “Opoor” and “Bhad Garl,” which she asserts were used without permission in the series.
Defendants named in the lawsuit include Tony Ugiagbe (Topage), Waje, Veeiye, Amazon Web Services Nigeria Ltd. (BoomPlay), Amazon Web Services Inc., and Apple Inc. Cole alleged that Waje and Veeiye copied her songs “Bhad Gyal” and “Opoor” after Topage informed her of their rejection, without crediting her or seeking her approval.
The petition reads: “Sometime in June 2021, Our Client was contacted by one Mr Fony a.k.a Tony Age to produce soundtracks for the movie “She Must Be Obeyed” series being produced by Scene One production, Funke Akindele and her crew at that material time. The movie starred several celebrities like Veeiye (as Tito); Waje (as X-cite)}; Shaffy Belfo as Iya Siyanbola, amongst others.
“Our brief revealed that after writing and recording the two songs, “Bhad Gyal” and “OPOOR” in a music studio with the aid of Mr. Tony a.k.a Tony Age (who was working with the “She Muse Be Obeyed” crew as that time), she handed over the tracks to him with the understanding that Funke Akindele and her crew will reach out to her for payments and recognition.
“After weeks of waiting, Our Client received the sad news that her songs had been rejected and would no longer be deployed in the production of the series only for Our Client to shockingly discover thereafter that she has been lied to and scammed, and that her songs were REPRODUCED by Waje and Veeiye and deployed for the production of the said movie without Our Client’s permission or approval or any credit to her. The “Bhad Gyal’ song was mimed by Waje while on stage in the movie, whilst the OPOOR song ran through the background of the entirety of the series.
“The “She Must Be Obeyed” series released in September 2023 and premiered by Amazon Prime Video is now been watched around the globe and generating several revenues for Amazon, Apple Music, BoomPlay, Funke Akindele, and her crew without even the least recognition of Our Client as the author of those songs.”
Meanwhile, Ewa Cole is seeking N300 million in damages for what she alleges to be infringement on her intellectual property rights.
She has asked for a permanent injunction from the court to prevent the defendants from copyrighting, performing, or distributing her musical compositions indefinitely.
Additionally, she has requested that the court grant the defendants a 45 percent share of all profits generated from the use, performance, duplication, and sale of the two songs.
