Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Iyabo Ojo, has accused a Ghanaian television station, North East TV (NETV), of illegally broadcasting her newly released film, The Memory of You Part 2, without her authorisation.
Ojo disclosed this in a video posted on her social media handle on Saturday revealing that the film had been uploaded to her official YouTube channel less than 24 hours before she discovered it was already being aired by the television station.
Describing the incident as a blatant act of piracy, the actress said the unauthorised broadcast amounted to a violation of her intellectual property rights.
“It is heartbreaking that after investing enormous resources, time and effort into producing a movie, someone can simply download it from YouTube and begin broadcasting it on television without seeking permission or paying for the rights,” she said.
She stressed that filmmaking requires huge financial commitments, including payments to actors, crew members, equipment providers, location owners, accommodation, feeding, costume designers and makeup artists.
According to her, such investments deserve legal protection.
Ojo warned that piracy robs filmmakers of legitimate earnings by diverting viewers from official platforms to illegal broadcasts.
She also suggested that the alleged infringement might not be an isolated case, recalling similar complaints previously raised by other filmmakers.
The actress called on the National Film Authority of Ghana, the country’s Minister of Arts and Culture and the President of Ghana to investigate the matter and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
“This is not about seeking attention or cloud chasing. This is the reality many filmmakers face. We work hard to create quality content, only for others to profit illegally from our labour,” she said.
She appealed to television stations and broadcasters to refrain from airing The Memory of You Parts 1 and 2, as well as any of her other productions, without obtaining the required authorisation and licensing.
Ojo condemned those behind the alleged piracy, saying their actions were destroying the livelihoods of hardworking creatives, while expressing hope that justice would prevail.
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