Omanghana
The Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a ₦5 billion copyright lawsuit against Nigerian gospel singer Sinach, affirming her as the sole author and copyright owner of the internationally recognized worship song Way Maker.
Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa dismissed the case after finding that the claims brought by music producer Michael Oluwole, popularly known as Maye, lacked merit.
The judge reportedly described the action as “gold-digging and unmeritorious,” bringing the multi-year dispute over the song’s ownership to an end at the Federal High Court level.
Oluwole filed the lawsuit, numbered FHC/L/CS/402/2024, on March 8, 2024. He claimed that his work on the recording entitled him to recognition as a co-author and co-owner of the song.
The producer argued that he contributed to Way Maker by recording, mixing and mastering it and by creating or performing instrumental elements involving the piano, strings and synthesisers.
He sought ₦5 billion in general damages for the alleged infringement of his performer’s rights. He also asked the court to order an equitable division of previous and future licensing income and royalties generated by the song.
Sinach opposed the claims and maintained that she had written and arranged Way Maker before working with Oluwole.
Evidence presented during the proceedings reportedly showed that Sinach had performed the song internationally, including in South Africa, before engaging the producer’s services.
The court found that Oluwole had been hired through an oral agreement to provide technical production services, including mixing and mastering, and had been paid for that work.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa ruled that performing technical or production services on a recording does not automatically give a person copyright ownership of the underlying musical composition.
The judgment distinguished between creating a song’s original expressive elements such as its lyrics, melody, harmony and vocal arrangement and providing technical support during the recording process.
According to the ruling, studio producers, sound engineers and session musicians do not automatically acquire publishing rights or ownership simply because they contributed to the final recording.
Such rights would ordinarily depend on evidence of an original creative contribution or a contractual agreement granting co-authorship, ownership or a share of royalties.
The decision therefore reaffirmed Sinach’s exclusive intellectual property rights in Way Maker, which has become one of the most widely performed contemporary worship songs worldwide.
Following the judgment, GosGem Records Chairman Joseph Egbu, who is also Sinach’s husband, expressed gratitude to the singer’s legal team.
He commended the lawyers, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Emeka Etiaba, for successfully defending Sinach’s claim to the song and protecting her creative rights.
Source: Omanghana
