In a legal twist, the ownership rights of the popular Netflix series ‘Shanty Town’ have slipped from the grasp of Nollywood star, Ini Edo, into the hands of filmmaker, Chinenye Nworah.
Back in January 2024, a double intellectual property petition was lodged by Ini Edo and Minini Empire Productions Limited (MEP) against Chinenye Nworah and her production company, ‘Giant Creative Media Limited’ (GCM), vying for the trademark rights associated with ‘Shanty Town’.
Despite Ini Edo’s attempt to stake a claim on the trademarks and copyrights linked to ‘Shanty Town’, a significant legal win was secured by Nworah and GCM, as both the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Trademark Registry sided against Ini Edo, deeming the petition lacking in merit.
In a separate ruling, the NCC rejected another petition by Ini Edo and MEP seeking the revocation of two copyright certificates granted to Nworah for the literary work “Shanty Town” (Certificate Number LW10177) and the audiovisual work “Shanty Town” (Certificate Number CF1448).
Following this legal triumph, Nworah’s legal representative, Olisa Agbakoba, emphasized the significance of safeguarding creative works and ensuring equitable compensation for artists.