Nigerian Actress Launches Scathing Attack on Ghana TV Station; Begs Mahama For Help
- Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo accused a Ghanaian TV station of airing her movie without permission or payment
- Iyabo called on President John Dramani Mahama and the National Film Authority to enforce Ghana's copyright laws
- Ghanaians and Nigerians reacted online, with many urging Nigerian filmmakers to take legal action against the stations
Nigerian actress Iyabo Ojo has launched a scathing attack on a Ghanaian TV station over an alleged copyright breach.
Source: Instagram
Her claims sit within a larger, growing tension between Ghana and Nigeria over the unauthorised airing of Nollywood films, one that has built up steadily over the past few weeks.
A number of Nigerian filmmakers, including Bimbo Ademoye, Uchenna Mbunabo, Omoni Oboli, Ruth Kadiri and Nosa Rex, have complained bitterly about the same issue.
Iyabo Ojo accuses North East TV of airing her movie
Iyabo has now joined the growing list after she found out that North East TV, a Ghanaian station, had aired her movie, The Memory of You, without her consent, barely 24 hours after it premiered on YouTube.
According to her, she discovered the unauthorised broadcast the morning after releasing the film and immediately took to social media to address the station directly.
She said:
"I dropped my movie last night, and to my greatest surprise, I found out that there's a movie station called North East TV already showing the movie. I don't understand because I didn't give you permission. You post for people to watch for free, and you expect your life to be better."
Iyabo also called on Ghanaian authorities to step in and enforce the country's copyright laws.
She indicated:
"NFA in Ghana, National Film Authority, Minister of Arts and Culture, the president of Ghana himself, should look into this because it's very unfair."
In her post, Iyabo also referenced Ghana's Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690), and reminded the National Film Authority that it had previously warned stations that airing unauthorised content could lead to licence suspension or revocation.
The TikTok video in which Iyabo addressed the issue is below.
Ghanaians and Nigerians react to Iyabo Ojo's claims
Reactions to Iyabo's outburst were mixed, with some Ghanaians expressing embarrassment and others defending the country's struggling movie industry.
YEN.com.gh compiled some of the comments from the post.
Maamas Perfumery, Kumasi wrote:
"Can't any Nigerian producer sue one TV station?"
QueenBey's Handbag Holder said:
"Ghana again. As a Ghanaian, am tired."
N. indicated:
"Madam, we don't even watch the local channels in Ghana, chill, Beyoncé."
Tee's_Tales added:
"Sue them eerh, this July we have a lot of cases to solve here o, yani abre wai. Sue them."
Joy joked:
"Sorry, it's because our movie industry has collapsed. Pardon us."
Nadia Buari clashes with Nigerians over soakings
According to an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, Ghanaian actress Nadia Buari expressed disgust after a Nigerian crew member suggested that Nigerians ate gari soakings with fish.
Nadia pushed back hard, insisting that Ghanaians only took gari soakings with peanuts, milk and sugar, never with fish.
The claim sparked a wider debate online, with Ghanaians and Nigerians clashing in the comments over the right way to eat the dish, in what became the latest chapter in the two countries' long-running cultural rivalry over food.
Source: YEN.com.gh
