Aduragbemi Omiyale
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A popular skit maker, Mr Chukwuemeka Emmanuel, otherwise known as Sabinus, has threatened to drag the duo of UAC Foods Limited and FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc to court if they fail to meet his demands within a stipulated period.
The content creator, who was announced the winner of the Best Online Social Content Creator award at the 2022 AMVCA, said the two organisations have 14 working days to meet his demands or be ready for lawsuits.
Sabinus accused UAC Foods, makers of Gala sausage, of using his likeness and other intellectual products to advertise their product and he wants N100 million as compensation.
In a pre-suit notice dated Wednesday, May 25, 2022, his legal counsel, Mr Stanley Alieke, said the firm, through its Instagram handle, @galasausage_roll, on May 23, 2022, posted an image with his cartoon likeness captioned “the way I calculate everything in my life” to advertise their popular product.
“Your company UAC Food Ltd has been using the brand picture and other intellectual properties of Sabinus to make adverts for your Gala sausage roll without the consent or authorisation of our clients,” a part of the notice read.
In another notice to Friesland dated Friday, May 27, 2022, the jester claimed the company, which produces Peak Milk, used his trademark phrase “Something hooge” to drive engagements on the product’s verified Instagram @peak_milk on May 24 2020.
According to him, the firm did not get an authorisation to use the intellectual property, which he trademarked on November 26 2021, with the File Number: NG/TM/O/2021/48316.
“It will interest you to know that the phrase ‘something hooge’, which was popularized by our client, has been trademarked and legally reserved as his intellectual property by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.”
“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 from his lawyer to Friesland noted.
According to Mr Alieke, “The advert…was used to promote the Peak National Breakfast Week.”
He said for the alleged unauthorised use of his client’s intellectual property, the sum of N500 million is demanded and another N500 million as damages for the “emotional, physical, psychological and mental trauma our client has suffered for the trademark theft and the infringement of his intellectual rights property.”
