Femi Adebayo secures a landmark victory against piracy, awarded ₦25 million after a rigorous 3-year legal battle. Nigerian actor's film "Survival of Jelili" was unlawfully distributed, highlighting the pervasive issue of intellectual property infringement
Nigerian actor and filmmaker, Femi Adebayo, celebrated a hard-fought victory in a landmark legal battle against piracy that spanned three arduous years. Known for his captivating performances in numerous blockbuster hits, Adebayo found himself embroiled in a relentless struggle to defend his creative work from illicit distribution.
The saga began when Adebayo stumbled upon the alarming discovery that a prominent media company was unlawfully disseminating his 2019 film "Survival of Jelili" on YouTube. Utilizing the title and poster of his film deceptively, the media entity lured unsuspecting viewers into believing they were accessing authentic content. This fraudulent activity not only infringed upon Adebayo's intellectual property rights but also exacerbated the detrimental effects of piracy by garnering a significant surge in views over time.
In a heartfelt statement shared via Instagram on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, Adebayo expressed profound gratitude to his legal team, Bola Adebowale & Co Legal Practitioners, for their steadfast commitment and expertise throughout the rigorous legal proceedings. He commended their meticulous preparation, persuasive argumentation, and swift execution as instrumental factors in securing a favorable verdict in court.
"We won," declared Adebayo with palpable pride, revealing that the court had ruled in his favor and awarded him a substantial sum of twenty-five million naira in damages.
