Nigeria movie industry popularly called Nollywood will have to look
for another name as the name ‘Nollywood’ is now a registered trademark
owned by a Nigerian guy living in the States, Nicholas Opara.
According to the United States Patent and Trademark office, the
trademark was issued to Nicholas of Kirkland, WA. on December 03, 2013.
What this means is that Nicholas Opara now has legal ownership of the
term “Nollywood” and every time someone uses that term, they either have
to get permission from him or pay him royalties, making it a potential
cash cow for him.
Anyone using the word Nollywood in any of his products or services
without Nicholas Opara’s permission faces legal liability for trademark
infringement and there’s a report that he, allegedly, has already sent a
cease and desist letter to a company using the word ‘Nollywood.’
Nollywood is now in its early 20’s, inspired by the spectacle of
everyday lives, the movie industry has come to be globally recognised
for its prolific output and dramatic narratives. With an annual
production of around 1000 films, Nigeria’s film industry brings in an
estimated $250m a year, and the total value of the industry ($3.5bn) is
estimated to go up significantly when Nigeria rebases its economy.
Showing posts with label #Nicholas Opara. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Nicholas Opara. Show all posts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Sign Up in Seconds
Sign up with your email address to receive latest updates straight in your inbox.