COURT TO DECIDE SUNNY ADE'S N2BILLION COPYRIGHT SUIT OCT 30

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday fixed October 30 to deliver judgement in a N2 billion suit filed by juju music star, Dr. Sunday Adeniyi Adeye a.k.a (King Sunny Ade) against African Songs limited and seven others.

Other defendants in the suit are; Take Your Choice Records Store limited, Lati Alagbada Nigeria Limited, Record Manufacturers of Nigeria, Ibukunola Printers Alhaja Awawu Amodu and one M. O. Alagbada.

Justice James Tsoho adjourned the matter for judgement after counsel to the Plaintiff, Mr. Dapo Oduwole and that of the respondents, Mr. Ademola Olowoyeye adopted their final written addresses.
The plaintiff (Sunny Ade) had in suit number FHC/L/CS/196/97 demanded for N2 billion as general damages against the defendants over alleged infringement and copyright of his musical works.

In his 41-paragraph statement of claim, the plaintiff alleged that in 1970, he entered into a five-year agreement with the 1st defendant to reproduce the said works and sell under its record label.

But the first and second defendants in their amended statement of defence and counter claim urged the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s suit with substantial cost for lack of reasonable cause of action.

They urged the court to hold that the agreement made on October 6th, 1970 between the plaintiff and the first defendant still subsists and that the plaintiff’s quest to exercise right of ownership of the copyright is an abuse of judicial process.