Sabinus, through his lawyer, demanded the sum of N1 billion from the makers of Peak milk and N100 million from the sausage roll making company
By Kehinde Okeowo
Popular Nigeria skit makers, Chukwuemeka Ejekwu better known as Oga Sabinus has threatened to take Friesland Foods Wamco Nigeria Plc and UAC Foods Limited to court for copyright violation.
The two food companies were alleged to have used the comedian’s intellectual property to advertise their products, Peak milk, and Gala respectively, without seeking authorisation from him.
According to the skit maker’s legal team, UAC used Sabinu’s animated picture to promote their products, while Friesland Foods used one of his popular comic lines ‘something hooge’ in their advert.
In a video posted online that has since gone viral, his management team had earlier demanded the sum of N1 billion from the makers of Peak milk and N100 million from the sausage-making company.
ALSO READ: My father wanted me to be a lawyer, says Oga Sabinus
His lawyers, however, said they have written to the two companies and threatened a lawsuit if the brands failed to comply within two weeks from the receipt of the legal notice.
“Our client briefed us and we believe the same to be true that your Company, Friesland Foods Wamco Nigeria Plc, used a trademarked slogan ‘Something Hooge’ for the promotion of your Peak Milk product,” the legal notice read.
“The advert which was made on the Peak Milk Nigeria verified Instagram page (peak_milk) was posted on the 24th day of May 2022 which was used to promote the Peak National Breakfast Week.
“It will interest you to know that the phrase ‘something hooge’, which was popularized by our client, has been trademarked and legally reserved as his intellectual property by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.
“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, images, or any other intellectual properties belonging to our client without his express consent and authorization.”
The comic actor, through his lawyer also demanded N100 million in compensation from UAC Food, just as his managers asked on social media.
“Your company UAC Food Ltd. has been using the brand picture and other intellectual properties of Sabinus to make adverts for your Gala sausage roll without the consent or authorization of our clients,” the notice read.
“You made a post on your verified Instagram handle (gala sausage roll), on the 23rd of May, 2022 with the picture of our client. The post which was a cartoon of our client was captioned ‘the way I calculate everything in my life’.
“We demand that you pay our client the sum of one hundred million Naira (N100m) for the use of the picture which is the average fee our client charges for his picture to be used for adverts and promotions.
“It will be in your best interest to heed our warning and meet our demands and if at the end of 14 working days.”
Meanwhile, Sabinus who recently won Best Online Social Content Creator at the just concluded African Magic Viewers Choice Award (AMVCA) has been accused of usurping another person’s award.
The netizens who made the accusation slammed the organisers of the event for displaying favoritism, claiming the award should have gone to another comic actor Debo Adesina aka Mr Macaroni.
