IROKING Has Been Taken to Court by Onyeka Onwenu For N205M Infringement

Popular legendary Nigerian music icon, Onyeka Onwenu has reportedly dragged IROKING to court, demanding N205 Million for unauthorized use of her music.

IROKING is an online music and video streaming service launched in 2011 by its parent company, Jason Njoku’s IROKO Partners. The company later developed a free Music Player application which was available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7 smartphones.

The app is still available on Google Playstore for Android users while the Windows version is not regularly updated. IROKING has YouTube channels as well. Meaning Onyeka Onwenu said IROKING violated her intellectual property rights and below is her statement.

For years, Iroking profited from the sale of my music, even after a two-year contract it signed with me had elapsed. For years, also, they denied that they were doing so, they denied that they had made any profits from their illegal exploits. When they were caught in the lie, they wanted to settle but refused to show up for meetings. 

Iroking as a Company is arrogant and has no regard for the people, Artistes whose works and labour have made them successful. We are therefore suing to make a point. Artistes have a right to profit from their Intellectual Property and labour.

Nigeria has Copyright Laws which ought to be respected. The music industry has been built up and sustained by artistes and entrepreneurs like me. I demand to be protected by the Laws of my Country. Iroking must pay for this violation.

It is also my hope that other Artistes will wake up and demand what is due them. Many do not know that their music is being exploited on YouTube and other carriers. 

Some record companies are selling our music on the internet and claiming ownership of the copyright. 

If only we would pay attention, Artistes would discover that while they had been doing all the creative work, investing in their careers and in the industry at large, someone else is collecting all the profit. Enough is Enough! Arise Nigerian artistes and take back what belongs to you. You have been cheated for far too long.”

Meanwhile, IROKING is yet to respond to this claim.