Femi Adebayo, a popular actor in the Nigerian film industry known as Nollywood, has expressed concern about the growing problem of film piracy in the country.
Adebayo shared his personal experience on his Instagram page, @femiadebayosalami, on Tuesday, detailing how he recently won a battle against piracy for one of his movies.
He emphasized that the profits from the film industry are not being fully realized due to the illegal actions of movie pirates.
He said: “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.
“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 spared them. I recently concluded a legal battle with a notable media company that owns a big radio station and also engages in Youtube content distributions.
“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 five million Naira.
“This isn’t just my win as a filmmaker and content producer, but a win for all of Nollywood.”
He believes that filmmakers should be prepared to combat intellectual property theft and piracy in every aspect.
“Every win brings us closer to protecting and getting the true economic value of our works,” he said
