Filmmaker Zeb Ejiro is embroiled in a legal dispute with actress Ann Njemanze, who filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the Federal Trade Mark Registry’s decision to revoke her ‘Domitilla’ trademark.
Njemanze, famous for her role in the 1996 film ‘Domitilla,’ seeks to overturn the Trade Marks Tribunal’s ruling and restore her ownership of the trademark, while also demanding N50 million in damages from Ejiro for alleged copyright infringement.
The film ‘Domitilla’ depicts a young woman’s struggles in Lagos’ sex trade. Njemanze has accused Ejiro and two others of unauthorized use of the trademarked name.
In response, Ejiro filed a countersuit against Njemanze for breach of confidence.
His legal counsel, Rockson Igelige, confirmed that Njemanze initiated three cases to claim the ‘Domitilla’ name, with one already dismissed and two pending in Abuja and Lagos Federal High Courts.
Igelige called Njemanze’s appeal baseless, arguing it violates Order 53 Rule 2 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019, which mandates filing and serving a notice of appeal within 30 days of the Tribunal’s decision.
He deemed the appeal “dead on arrival” due to non-compliance, asserting that Ejiro holds the copyright. The defendants have denied the allegations and questioned the validity of Njemanze’s lawsuit.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Zeb Ejiro and Ann Njemanze dispute over the ‘Domitilla’ trademark is a multifaceted legal battle that intertwines trademark law, copyright claims, and procedural technicalities.
It underscores the complexities of intellectual property in Nigeria’s evolving film industry, where creative contributions and commercial rights often clash.
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