A Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned further proceedings till November 23, 2015 in an alleged copyright infringement suit filed by a popular Nigerian musician, Paul I.K. Dairo, against a telecommunications company, Etisalat.
The multiple award-winning artiste is seeking an order of the court compelling Etisalat and others to pay him N200m for allegedly making use of his 2009 hit track, Mosorire without his authorisation.
Paul Play claimed that Etisalat used Mosorire in its popular television reality show, tagged, Nigerian Idol for two consecutive years without paying him.
Joined with Etisalat in the suit marked FHC/CS/581/2014 is Optima Media Group, which is the organiser of Nigerian Idol.
Optima Media Group has however filed an application urging the court to join the Copyright Society of Nigeria as a defendant in the suit.
Optima Media Group claimed to have obtained the licence to use the Paul Play's track from COSON.
Justice C.J. Aneke on Wednesday adjourned the case till November 23, 2015 for the hearing of. application seeking to join COSON in the suit.
Paul Play, in the affidavit filed in support of his suit and deposed to by himself, averred that, “I am the copyright owner of the work named and tagged Mosorire, contained in my repertoire, exclusively for the jurisdiction of Nigeria and the authority or permission to exploit such work can only be obtained from me.
“However, the defendants being an organiser of a television reality show tagged, Nigerian Idol caused the use, adaptation and deployment of my stated work, titled Mosorire on the stated show without my consent, and which was broadcast to several millions of television viewers throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the rest of Africa for 2012 and 2013 editions.”
The artiste stated the defendants particularly infringed on his copyright when they allowed one of the contestants on the show to reproduce and perform his song in the glare of the whole nation and beyond.
Paul Play averred that as a singer and composer, he was entitled to an annual fee of N100m on the stated track, as commensurate with his effort in putting the work together.