Rockson Igelige, an entertainment and intellectual property lawyer, has passed away at 55.
According to reports, Igelige was said to have collapsed and died at his home in Oleh, the headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area in Delta State, on Friday morning.
Filmmaker Zeb Ejoor shared his condolences for the lawyer on Facebook on Friday.
Sharing a photo of him, he wrote, “MY BROTHER, Rockson Igelige why?????
“This HIT me HARD!
I have lost a brother and a dear friend.
“We have lost the best IP Lawyer in Africa.
The great ISOKO Nation just lost a Legal Luminary.
“How did this happen????. I am tired.
SHOCKED!”
Who is Rockson Igelige?
Igelige, born on June 1, 1971, worked as a lawyer and former politician. He was also an advocate for intellectual property and founded the Friends of the Creator (Artistic) Foundation, which supports and protects the rights of artists and creative professionals.
Igelige grew up in Oleh Kingdom and went to Odoro Primary School and Emore Grammar School in Oleh. He later studied Theatre Arts at the University of Benin from 1992 to 1996.
He went on to study Law at Delta State University’s Oleh Campus, then attended the Nigerian Law School in Lagos to qualify as a lawyer. He also earned an LLM in Entertainment Law from the University of Westminster in London.
Igelige also ventured into politics following Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999. He was elected as a Peoples Democratic Party councillor representing Oleh Ward 1 in Isoko South Local Government Area.
He initially served as Supervisory Councillor for Health before becoming Speaker and Leader of the local government legislative house, a position he held from 1999 to 2012, according to an interview he gave Daily Trust.
He subsequently established himself as a lawyer specialising in entertainment, copyright and intellectual property law, representing artists, producers and other creative professionals.
In 2019, he advocated specialised courts for intellectual property infringement and internet fraud cases, arguing that faster trials and appropriate punishment would help deter violations. He was also reported to have received an Entertainment Lawyer of the Year award that year.
In 2017, Igelige founded the Friends of the Creator Foundation in Oleh. The organisation focused on intellectual property advocacy, education, research and support for creators. The foundation also promoted awareness of copyright among young people and law students.