The ownership rights of the popular Netflix series ‘Shanty Town’ have shifted from Nollywood actress Ini Edo to filmmaker Chinenye Nworah following a recent legal ruling.
In January 2024, Ini Edo and Minini Empire Productions Limited (MEP) filed a dual intellectual property lawsuit against Chinenye Nworah and her production company ‘Giant Creative Media Limited’ (GCM) regarding the trademark rights of ‘Shanty Town’.
The legal petition aimed to establish ownership of the trademarks and copyrights associated with ‘Shanty Town’.
However, the outcome favored Nworah and GCM as the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Trademark Registry dismissed Ini Edo’s petition, deeming it baseless.
In a separate ruling, the NCC rejected another petition by Ini Edo and MEP seeking the revocation of two copyright certificates held by Nworah for the literary work “Shanty Town” (Certificate Number LW10177) and the audiovisual work “Shanty Town” (Certificate Number CF1448).
In response to the legal triumph, Nworah’s legal representative, Olisa Agbakoba, emphasized the significance of safeguarding creative works and ensuring appropriate compensation for artists.