Nigerian actress and filmmaker Omoni Oboli has threatened to escalate the issue of copyright infringement to the President of Ghana, following reports that several Ghanaian TV stations aired her movie Twin Deception without permission.
According to Omoni, the film was shown on TV stations the same day it was released on her YouTube channel, prompting her to accuse them of copyright infringement and theft.
While expressing her love for Ghanaians, she emphasised that this practice is unacceptable and needs to stop.
She wrote on Instagram: “I love my Ghanaian besties. I really do. Ghanaians are our cousins, and cousins don’t fight. We banter, but at the end of the day, it’s all love. You see this issue of Terrestrial Ghanaian TV stations showing out movies, it’s utterly shameful. My movie TWIN DECEPTION, released on my YouTube channel on Friday, was shown by TV stations the same Friday! I’m going straight to the Ghanaian President this time. Cos, this is now a disgrace!
“Yesterday was my birthday, and I was having a chilled day at home, so I didn’t want to address this. The truth is, I have been working behind the scenes with some Ghanaian agencies to end this menace once and for all, but now it’s quite obvious that some people don’t even understand that it’s actual theft.
“You are not promoting my film if you rip it off my YouTube channel (without licensing and permission) and show it on your TV station. You are stealing from me for your own personal gain.
“Do you get it now? There’s no world in which that is a good thing. It’s actually punishable by law. So since it’s gotten to this stage, I believe Mr President @officialjdmahama, sir, with all due respect, sir, it’s time to weigh in. This has become an international embarrassment. PS: I love my Ghanaian family, and I know you love me too. Let’s keep the love flowing”.