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Court dismisses N5bn copyright suit, confirms Sinach as sole owner of ‘Way Maker’

A Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a N5 billion copyright suit filed against acclaimed Nigerian gospel singer Osinachi Joseph Egbu, popularly known as Sinach, affirming her as the sole author and copyright owner of the globally celebrated song Way Maker.

Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa, who delivered the judgment on July 24, 2026, ruled that music producer Michael Oluwole failed to establish claims of co-authorship and co-ownership of the award-winning song.

Oluwole had approached the court in March 2024, seeking legal recognition as a co-author and co-owner of Way Maker.

He also demanded a share of revenues generated from the song and requested N5 billion in damages, alleging infringement of his performer’s rights.

However, the court held that the producer’s involvement was limited to mixing and mastering an already existing work for commercial release after being contracted and paid for his services.

According to the judgment, “Evidence before the court showed that Sinach had created and performed the song before engaging Oluwole’s services”.

The court noted that she had performed Way Maker internationally prior to its studio production.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa stated that copyright ownership belongs to the individual responsible for the original creative content of a work, including its melody, harmony, lyrics, or arrangement.

He stressed that “Technical contributors such as producers, engineers, and sound technicians do not automatically become authors unless they contribute original expressive content”.

The judge described the suit as unmeritorious and dismissed all claims brought by the plaintiff.

The court further reaffirmed that Sinach, as the creator of the song, holds exclusive rights over its reproduction, distribution, performance, and licensing under Nigeria’s copyright laws.

Reacting to the judgment, Sinach and her husband, Joseph Egbu, who chairs Slic Inspire Ltd. and Gosgem Records, expressed satisfaction with the outcome.

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$20K, ₦400m mansion, other lavish gifts Peller and Jarvis received for wedding

The wedding of TikTok stars Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and Elizabeth Amadou, better known as Jarvis, was filled with memorable moments. Beyond the glamorous outfits, celebrity guests, and cultural displays, it was the extravagant gifts presented to the newlyweds that became one of the biggest talking points.

Even before the wedding day, gifts had already started pouring in, while several admirers promised to present theirs during the ceremony. Peller’s longtime TikTok supporter, Gregory, kicked off the celebrations with a generous wedding gift of $20,000.

Gregory travelled to Nigeria specifically for the wedding and expressed excitement about being part of the occasion. Speaking during the event, he also revealed his interest in investing in Nigeria. “I can’t relocate, but Peller and Peller are going to work on some investment opportunities in Nigeria. One of the things that I really wanna do is open a school here. Hopefully we can do it; that would be my dream

One of the biggest surprises of the day came from Delta based billionaire Mohammed Ochacho, who presented the couple with a mansion worth ₦400 million in Lifecamp, Abuja.

While announcing the gift, the businessman explained that his children encouraged him to make the presentation. “On behalf of my children, I am presenting a brand new house for you worth ₦400 million in Lifecamp, Abuja.”

The gesture came just days after Peller met Ochacho at music executive Soso Soberekon’s event. During that meeting, the billionaire introduced the content creator to some of his associates and had earlier promised him 10 cows as part of his wedding gifts. Peller later jokingly called him out for not fulfilling that promise before the mansion was eventually unveiled.

In June 2026, Peller proposed to Jarvis during a private beachside ceremony at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Ghana

Just weeks later, he paid her bride price during a traditional introduction ceremony in Edo State, after which they had a court wedding.

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I Want to start acting in Movies – Davido reveals

Davido

Speaking in a recent interview with Vibe Q, the Afrobeat superstar said he has already executive-produced two movies but wants to get more involved in the film industry.

The singer also disclosed that he has shot a documentary, which will be released soon.

“I want to get into movies. I want to start acting soon. I have invested in two movies already as an executive producer. I also have a documentary coming. It is very very big. And yeah, I do want to act at some point in the future,” he said.

Davido noted that music is innovative like technology, adding that artists need to keep evolving and exploring.

“God has blessed me with an amazing career and fans. I wouldn’t ask for another type of career. Music is what I love and music evolves just like technology.

“There’s always a new sound, a new creative idea and a new way to tell your story,” the singer stated.

Speaking on his career so far and his future in a recent episode of The Vibe podcast, the father of six explained that he won’t encourage any of his children to do music is because of his own experience.

He revealed that his second daughter, Hailey Veronica Adeleke, is already leaning towards music and has a good voice but he’s skeptical about supporting her.

“I don’t want any of my children to pursue music. My second daughter [Hailey] is already leaning towards music. She is the life of the party. She behaves just like me. She actually has a good voice.

“But I know what I went through. Can you go through what I go through? Knowing what I have been through, I’m skeptical about encouraging any of my children to do music,” he said.

Davido, however, added, “But because my parents and my family eventually allowed me chase me dreams, I would never want to block any of my children from chasing their dreams. And if they are good, why not?”

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‘77% of Nigerian women bleach their skin’ — Nollywood actress Beverly Naya speaks up

Nollywood actress Beverly Naya has opened up about the personal experience that inspired her Netflix documentary Skin, tracing it back to bullying she faced as a teenager in London.

Speaking on the One54 Podcast, Naya explained that although the bullying she experienced growing up wasn’t rooted in colourism specifically, it deeply affected her self-esteem during her formative years.

After relocating to Nigeria, she said she initially wanted to start an anti-bullying campaign, but felt the idea needed sharper focus to genuinely resonate with audiences. During her research, she came across a quote attributed to Willie Lynch, a figure some historians dispute ever existed, allegedly describing a strategy to divide Black people by skin complexion. Whatever its origins, Naya said the idea stuck with her once she connected it to modern data on skin bleaching in Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organisation, 77% of Nigerian women use skin bleaching products, the highest rate recorded on the continent, compared to 59% in Togo, 35% in South Africa and 27% in Senegal.

Naya said that statistic, paired with the historical quote, is what ultimately shaped the direction of Skin. She pointed to a cultural hierarchy around complexion in Nigeria, where lighter skin is often treated as more desirable, and said she saw the culture around bleaching as its own form of bullying that had never been properly named or discussed.

She recalled how dark-skinned people were often casually insulted using derogatory terms, without the behaviour ever being classified as discriminatory. Naya said the documentary was her way of giving that pattern a name, colourism, while highlighting the health effects of bleaching and encouraging people to embrace their natural skin tone.

“That’s basically what inspired that movement,” she said of the project, noting that Skin premiered on Netflix roughly two weeks after George Floyd died in 2020, a period marked by heightened global conversations around race.

Beyond the documentary’s origin story, Naya used the conversation to reflect on her broader journey between London, Lagos and New York, discussing how moving across three continents shaped her identity, accent and worldview.

She also spoke about her decision to build her career in New York rather than Los Angeles, and shared thoughts on protecting her mental health while navigating fame, comparison culture and public scrutiny.

Naya, a Forbes 30 Under 30 Africa honoree, has continued to expand her work as an actress, filmmaker and producer since Skin’s release, with the documentary remaining one of the more widely discussed projects to tackle colourism within Nollywood and the broader Nigerian entertainment industry.

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