Reggae music maestro, Orits Williki, has dragged foremost recording company, Premier Music to court, alleging copyright infringement and breach of contract.
Oris, is asking the court to compel Premier Music, to pay him N100 million being the value of his songs that we’re exploited by Premier Music after the contract elapsed.
The ace musician, is also praying the court to compel Premier Music to give him the master tapes of his songs like, ‘Tribulations, Conquerer, Wha’ This, Wha’ That,’ released on Premier Music label decades ago.
Orits who is also the chairman of Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria, MCSN, in the case instituted before Justice Justice Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos, stated that the number of year’s which the law and the contract he signed with the music company allowed the company to hold on to his master tapes have expired 35 years ago. He alleged that since then, Premier Music, has been releasing the timeless songs contained in the albums and vending same both locally and internationally without his authorization and without any revenue accrued to him.
Williki through his lawyer, Mr. Ademola Odetunde, told the court that Premier Music has refused to give him master tapes of his albums hence his decision to seek the help of the court.
