Popular Nigerian skit maker and content creator, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel popularly referred to as Oga Sabinus has threatened a double lawsuit against popular brands, Peak Milk and Gala over trademark theft and intellectual property rights.
The skitmaker has threatened to take legal action against the brand if they fail to meet his demands.
The skitmaker threatened lawsuit against popular milk brand, peak milk over the alleged usage of his trademarked phrase, “Something hooge“, which rose him into prominence.
The AMVCA content creator of 2022, also threatened legal action against UAC Food Ltd, a company that produces gala sausage for using his famous brand picture(though cartoon like) and other intellectual products to make adverts and promotions for the product.
In a pre-suit notice to UAC Food Ltd which is dated 25 May 2022, Sabinus demanded the payment of N100m “for the use of his picture, which is the average fee our client charges for his picture to be used for adverts and promotions”.
In the suit, Sabinus noted how the company belonging to Peak Milk, Friesland Food Wamco Nigerian PLC, used his trademarked slogan “Something Hooge” for the advert and promotion of their product, Peak Milk, without his permission.
He revealed that the advert was made on Peak Milk Nigeria’s verified Instagram page (peak_milk) on 24th of May 2022. The comedian stated that the said slogan was trademarked on 26 November 2021 with the FILE NINIBER: NG/TM/O/2021/48316.
In the same vain, in Sabinus’s pre lawsuit notice to Gala dated 27 May 2022, which was signed by his lead counsel, Mr Stanley Alieke, the comedian demanded from Peak Milk the payment of N500m for the alleged unauthorised use of his intellectual property and another N500m for damages for the “emotional, physical, psychological and mental trauma he suffered for the trademark theft and the infringement of his intellectual rights property”.
Sabinus revealed that UAC Food made a post on its verified Instagram handle (galasausage_roll) on 23 May 2022 with his “picture”. He revealed that the post which was his cartoon picture was captioned, “the way I calculate everything in my life”.
“The post gathered massive traffic, and engagements and attracted huge followership to your page which only happened because the picture of our client was used for the promotion and advert,” the notice read.
Sabinus gave both companies 14 working days to meet his demands or meet him in court.
Kemi Filani News recalls Oga Sabinus had revealed the amount he makes from his online business.
Sabinus made this known in an interview with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu where he revealed how much he makes from his content creation and brand influencing.
The skit maker opined that content creation is paying so much money and he charges N1.5 million for an advert on his page.
He added that he invests in properties, owns a car and house, but he doesn’t flaunt them online.
