Sabinus sues Peak milk N1bn and Gala N100M over Intellectual Property Theft
Nigerian skit maker and content creator, Chukwuemeka Emmanuel popularly referred to as Oga Sabinus has threatened a double lawsuit against popular brands, Peak Milk and Gala over trademark theft and intellectual property rights.
The skitmaker threatened a lawsuit against popular milk brand, peak milk over the alleged usage of his trademarked phrase, “Something hooge“, which rose him into prominence.
In the suit, Sabinus noted how the company belonging to Peak Milk, Friesland Food Wamco Nigerian PLC, used his trademarked slogan “Something Hooge” for the advert and promotion of their product, Peak Milk, without his permission.
He revealed that the advert was made on Peak Milk Nigeria’s verified Instagram page (peak_milk) on 24th of May 2022. The comedian stated that the said slogan was trademarked on 26 November 2021 with the FILE NUMBER: NG/TM/O/2021/48316.
He also threatened legal action against UAC Food Ltd, a company that produces gala sausage for using his famous brand picture(though cartoon-like) and other intellectual products to make adverts and promotions for the product.
In the same vain, in Sabinus’s pre lawsuit notice to Gala dated 27 May 2022, which was signed by his lead counsel, Mr Stanley Alieke, the comedian demanded from Peak Milk the payment of N500m for the alleged unauthorised use of his intellectual property and another N500m for damages for the “emotional, physical, psychological and mental trauma he suffered for the trademark theft and the infringement of his intellectual rights property”.
Sabinus revealed that UAC Food made a post on its verified Instagram handle (galasausage_roll) on 23 May 2022 with his “picture”. He revealed that the post which was his cartoon picture was captioned, “the way I calculate everything in my life”.
“The post gathered massive traffic, and engagements and attracted huge followership to your page which only happened because the picture of our client was used for the promotion and advert,” the notice read.
Sabinus has given both companies 14 working days to meet his demands or meet him in court.
Below are the contravening images by Gala and Peak:
