Singer Paul Play Dairo has filed a N200m lawsuit
against telecommunications company, Etisalat for
using his song, Mosorire in its popular reality series,
Nigerian Idol, without seeking his consent. In the suit
filed at a Lagos High court and marked FHC/
CS/581/2014, Optima Media Group was made co-
defendant. Paul stated that the defendants had used
his hit song, Mosorire, which he composed himself,
to promote their TV show, Nigerian Idol in 2012 and
2013.
He alleged that during the course of the programme,
a contestant was made to reproduce his song and
sing it without his express permission as the owner
of the song.
The court paper in part reads
“I am the copyright owner of the work named and
tagged “Mosorire”, contained in my repertoire,
exclusively for the jurisdiction of Nigeria and the
authority or permission to exploit such work can only
be obtained from me. However, the defendants being
an organiser of a television reality show tagged,
“Nigerian Idol” caused the use, adaptation and
deployment of my said work titled, “Mosorire” on the
said show without my consent, and which was
broadcast to several millions of television viewers
throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the
rest of Africa for 2012 and 2013 editions.”
Paul Play said that as a singer and composer, he was
entitled to an annual fee of N100m on the track. He
said for having made use of his song without
reaching out to him for permission, the defendants,
Etisalat and Optima media group had made him
loose some money while according to him, they
“made gains and improved on their own brand
image.”. No date has been fixed for the hearing.
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