Nollywood actress Ini Edo has lost a protracted legal battle over the ownership of the Netflix original series “Shanty Town” to filmmaker Chineye’ Chi Chi’ Nworah.
In a decisive ruling by the Nigerian Trademark Registry and the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Nworah emerged victorious against Edo and her company, Minnie Empire Productions Limited (MEP).
The decisions affirm Nworah’s exclusive rights over the intellectual property of “Shanty Town.”
On January 10, 2024, the Trademark Registry rejected Edo and MEP’s claim over the trademarks “Scar“ (NG/TM/O/2023/121745) and “Shanty Town“ (NG/TM/O/2023/97482).
The registry dismissed the petition as unfounded, confirming Nworah’s sole ownership of these trademarks.
In a separate ruling on July 24, 2024, the NCC upheld the validity of two copyright certificates issued to Nworah.
Edo and MEP contested these certificates, covering the literary and audiovisual works of “Shanty Town“ (Certificate Numbers LW10177 and CF1448). The NCC found no basis for cancelling the certificates, reinforcing Nworah’s copyright claims.
Olisa Agbakoba Legal assisted Nworah and her production company, GCM Giant Creative Media Limited, in securing legal victories.
“Shanty Town,“ a six-part crime thriller released on January 20, 2023, gained significant acclaim and featured a star-studded cast including Chidi Mokeme, Ini Edo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sola Sobowale, Nancy Isime, Shaffy Bello, and Ali Nuhu.
