2face might be going to jail.. Photographer sues 2face, and Annie Idibia for N120 m

A photographer, Mr. Emmanuel Okolo,
has filed a N120m copyright
infringement suit against 2face, and
wife, Annie.
The photographer sued the couple and
one Mr. Anthonio Anifite before Justice
Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court
in Lagos,Punch reports.
He alleged that the defendants made use
of some photographs he took at the
traditional wedding of Mr. and Mrs.
Idibia in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in 2013
without duly attributing the works to
him or acknowledging him contrary to
an alleged agreement.

The photographer,claimed that the
defendants wrote ‘2faceonline.com’
across 148 out of the 355 high-resolution
photographs he took at the couple’s
wedding and uploaded them on 2face’s
official website, thereby denying him
credit and referral opportunities.
He claimed that days after the wedding,
Annie called him on the telephone
requesting copies of the wedding
photographs and that upon sending them
to her, Annie complained about the
watermark of Papilomenxy studios
reflecting on them.
According to the photographer, Annie
later sent the 2nd defendant to negotiate
with the photographer on the terms that
the photographs should be released
without watermarks.
The photographer claimed to have then
released 355 high-resolution photographs
from the wedding to Anifite free of
charge on the agreement that whenever
and wherever they were used, the
copyright would be credited to his
company.
He, however, claimed that the
defendants breached the terms of the
signed agreement and went ahead to
write ‘2faceonline.com’ across 148 of the
photographs that they uploaded on
2face’s official website.
The photographer, who described
himself as “a certified film maker from
the prestigious London Film Academy”
and an holder of a Masters of Arts
degree from Cardiff School of Creative
and Cultural Industries, South Wales,
United Kingdom, claimed to have
suffered general and exemplary damages
for which he is seeking N120m
compensation from 2face, Annie and
Anifite.
But the defendants have not only urged
Justice Idris to dismiss the
photographer’s suit but they also filed a
counterclaim wherein they demanded
N150m damages from him and his
studio.
They claimed that the photographer
crashed into the venue of their
traditional wedding, took pictures and
circulated same for commercial gains
without their permission.
They claimed that he was not invited but
was just “one of the numerous
photographers and pseudo-professionals
and artisans, who invaded the venue of
the ceremonies to eke out a living for
themselves without prior consultation
with or the consent of the celebrants.”
They claimed that soon after their
wedding, they noticed some strange
versions of their wedding pictures
circulating online with Papilonmexy
studio watermark and after painstaking
findings, they traced them to the
photographer.
They claimed that upon locating the
photographer and expressing their
displeasure, he pleaded with them while
lamenting that he was hard hit by a
downturn in the still photography
business and sought any future
engagement with them.
They claimed that the photographer
forced the photographs on them, saying
he wanted to leverage on their
popularity to get referrals.
They, however, claimed that they told
him categorically that the only condition
on which they could accept the
photographs was for him to remove the
watermarks of his company, which he
allegedly agreed to.”