Nollywood actress and filmmaker Iyabo Ojo has called out a Ghanaian television station for allegedly airing her newly released movie, "The Memory of You," less than 24 hours after its release without her permission.
The actress, who premiered the final part of the movie on Friday at 5 p.m., accused NETV of broadcasting both parts of the film without obtaining a licence or making any payment.
Expressing her frustration in an Instagram post on Saturday, Iyabo appealed to Ghanaian authorities to take immediate action against the station.
“My movie THE MEMORY OF YOU 1&2 is being aired on TV channels in Ghana without my permission. No call. No license. No payment. Just pure theft.”
She warned that television stations should not profit from the hard work of filmmakers through piracy.
“To NETV and every other station doing this: You cannot build your channel on the backs of filmmakers and expect us to keep quiet.”
The actress also called on Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, the National Film Authority (NFA), and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to enforce the country's copyright laws.
“We are begging you to act. There are laws in place – the Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690). Enforce them.”
Iyabo reminded the authorities that the National Film Authority had previously warned broadcasters that airing unauthorized content could lead to the suspension or revocation of their licences.
“Now is the time to act on that warning. We filmmakers pour our lives, money, and years into this craft. Piracy kills creativity, kills jobs, and kills investment. We are not asking for favors. We are demanding what is rightfully ours: RESPECT and PROTECTION for our intellectual property. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”
Her outcry comes just a week after the Ghana National Film Authority announced plans to clamp down on television stations showing Nigerian films without proper authorization.
Iyabo Ojo joins a growing list of Nollywood actresses, including Bimbo Ademoye, Ruth Kadiri, and Omoni Oboli, who have previously accused some Ghanaian television stations of pirating their movies and called for stricter enforcement of copyright laws.
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