A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed a copyright lawsuit filed against award-winning gospel singer Osinachi Joseph Egbu, popularly known as Sinach, over her globally acclaimed worship anthem, Way Maker.
According to a press release issued by GosGem Records, the suit was filed by Michael Oluwole, who claimed to be a co-author and co-owner of the song. He sought recognition as a joint copyright holder, a share of royalties and licensing proceeds, and ₦5 billion in general damages for alleged infringement of his rights.
In its judgment, the court reportedly held that the plaintiff failed to establish authorship or co-ownership of the musical work. Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa found that Way Maker had already been created and publicly performed by Sinach before Oluwole was engaged to mix and master the version released commercially in 2015.
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The court further stated that providing technical production services alone does not confer authorship under Nigerian copyright law unless the individual contributes original creative expression to the work.
The judgment reaffirmed Sinach’s sole authorship and ownership of Way Maker, bringing the legal dispute to an end.
Following the ruling, GosGem Records Chairman Joseph Egbu expressed appreciation to the legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Emeka Etiaba for securing the favourable outcome.
As of the time of filing this report, the details available are based on a press release issued by Sinach’s management, while the certified court judgment has not been independently reviewed.
