A photographer, Mr. Emmanuel Okolo has sued 2face and his wife, Annie Idibia, for a sum 120 million naira (about Ugx 2 billion).
According to allegations levied against them before Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal high court in Lagos, Okolo who sued alongside his company, Papilonmexy Films Studios Limited, claimed that the defendants wrote “2faceonline.com” across 148 out of the 355 high resolution photographs he took at the couple’s wedding and uploaded them on 2face’s official website, thereby denying him credit and referral opportunities.
According to a report by Channels TV, he claimed that Annie Idibia contacted him to request for the pictures he had taken at their wedding in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
2Face, who is the second defendant then made an attempt to persuade Okolo to release the pictures without the watermark.
The photographer eventually agreed, but insisted that the copyright be credited to his company. Okolo has now claimed that the terms of the signed agreement have been breached, prompting him to sue the couple.
2Face and his wife have now come out to contradict the claim, stating that the photographer had attended their wedding uninvited. They said shortly after the ceremony, they noticed pictures of themselves on the internet with Okolo’s company name on them.
According to 2Face and his wife, Okolo forced the pictures on them stating that he would like to use their influence to gain brand patronage. They agreed that they will collect the pictures on the condition that he removes the watermark, which he allegedly accepted.
They, however, urged the judge to order Okolo and his studio to pull down all the photographs of them that the photographer had circulated. They want the court to order Okolo and his studio to “render forthwith, account as well as make full and frank disclosure of all sums and profit made by them as a result of unauthorized commercial usage” of their photographs.
They are demanding 150 million naira damages and an order of perpetual injunction restraining Okolo and his studio from further commercializing their photographs. Recall that the trial started way back October 16, 2013.
Source: Naij.com
