Iyabo Ojo calls out Ghanaian TV station for airing new movie without permission

LAGOS — Nollywood actress and filmmaker Iyabo Ojo has accused a Ghanaian television station, North East TV, of allegedly broadcasting her newly released film, The Memory of You, without obtaining her authorization.

The actress raised the allegation on her Instagram page, saying she was stunned to discover that the movie had reportedly appeared on the station less than a day after its official release.

"As you all know, I dropped the concluding part of my movie, The Memory of You, yesterday. So, I woke up this morning and, to my greatest surprise, I found out that a Ghanaian TV station called North East TV is showing my movie."

Ojo described the alleged broadcast as both disappointing and damaging, questioning why a television station would air a newly released production without first securing the appropriate rights.

"This is so shocking. After going through the hard labour of producing a movie, from nowhere, you start showing my movie, which was just released, without my permission. Why, North East TV Ghana, why are you pirating my movie?"

'Millions Invested in Production'

The filmmaker stressed that producing a feature film requires significant financial investment, noting that filmmakers shoulder the costs of actors, filming locations, costumes, accommodation, catering and other production expenses.

"I spent millions of naira on those movies, paying actors, locations, costumes, feeding, accommodation, and other production costs, and you want to water down my struggles?"

She added that unauthorized broadcasts undermine the efforts of producers who depend on legitimate distribution channels to recover production costs.

Says Other Producers Have Raised Similar Concerns

Ojo claimed the alleged incident reflects a wider problem that has affected other Nigerian filmmakers.

According to her, she had previously heard complaints from colleagues about unauthorized broadcasts by some television stations but initially believed the reports were isolated incidents.

"I heard you people, along with other TV stations, are doing it. I thought it was just a minor thing when other producers were complaining. And later, when producers start talking and complaining, they gaslight us by saying we are chasing clout."

Appeals for Official Intervention

The actress called on Ghanaian authorities to investigate the matter, appealing to the country's National Film Authority, the Minister of Arts and Culture, and President John Dramani Mahama to help protect the intellectual property rights of filmmakers.

"Please, you people should look into this because it's very unfair that Nigerians will be busy working hard to produce movies, and some people will sit in their corner in Ghana and be transmitting them on their local TV."

She concluded with a warning that The Memory of You Parts 1 and 2—as well as any of her other productions—should not be broadcast or distributed without her approval.

As of the time of publication, North East TV had not publicly responded to the allegations.