Special Reports

Pasuma warns against unlawful use of intellectual property, threatens legal action

Pasuma gave the warning in a cease-and-desist letter he personally signed on Friday.

Fuji icon Wasiu “Pasuma” Alabi has warned several entities against the unauthorised use of his intellectual property.

However, the letter was carbon-copied (cc) to eleven entities, including High Kay (Q) Dancent Ltd, Sarolaj Music & Films Int’l, Role Model Entertainment Ltd, NextXtar, and Stability Production.

Others are UMJam, Moh Saheed, Role Model Entertainment Ltd, OgaNla TV, Monya Shau Films & Records (Q), and G3 Entertainment Limited.

The 58-year-old revealed that entities had been using his sound recordings, musical works, image, name, and likeness without authorisation.

Pasuma urged the entities to immediately stop all unauthorised and illegal exploitation of his intellectual property.

He stated in the letter, which he personally signed: “As you are well aware, your act of uploading and/or hosting of my intellectual property, without expressly written agreement containing my authorisation, across several digital service providers and internet servers—which includes but is not limited to streaming platforms, video on demand, App-Stores, lyrics website, blogs, gaming platform.

“Closed digital communities, virtual aggregation sites, amongst a host of others—without authorisation and expressly written consent/agreements, which amounts to an illegal and/or inappropriate exploitation of my intellectual property, which thereby constitutes an infringement of my intellectual property right as provided under the Nigeria Copyright Act 2022.”

The singer further demanded that the entities cease all illegal use and unauthorised exploitation of his intellectual property.

He urged them to take down all uploads, content, sound recordings, compositions, and related materials without delay.

“That you remove and permanently cease the distribution, sale, or promotion of any products, services, or materials that utilise my intellectual property. That you submit to my legal representative a statement of account of all exploitation of my intellectual property, since you began, through the communication channel provided below.

“Where there is an expressly written agreement and/or authorisation by me or my legal representative, that you provide a copy of the same agreement within the time frame stated and through the communication channel provided below”, said Pasuma.

Furthermore, Pasuma, also known as Oganla, threatened legal action against any entity that failed to comply with his demands within the stipulated timeframe.

The Lagos-born singer added that the notice was issued without prejudice to any of his legal or equitable rights and remedies.

He further stated that he expressly reserved all his rights, claims, and defences without waiver.

The “Adura” crooner said, “Failure to comply with the above-listed demands within the period of 14 days from the publication of this notice (deadline: 19th of June 2026) and the subsequent publication in national dailies, I shall have no other course than to institute a legal action against you in the court of competent jurisdiction to enforce my intellectual property rights.

“Such action may include but is not limited to seeking injunctive relief, damages, criminal liabilities, particularly against corporate entities and their directors, and any other remedies available under applicable law.”

Pasuma, who’s also an actor, has featured in films like “Oga Nla”, “Awodi”, “Ife Ojuloge”, “Ajisafe”, “Iyanje”, among others.