Entertainment
Lai in another intellectual property theft scandal
For the second time in less than a year, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has been accused of intellectual theft.
Recall last September, two young Nigerian writers, Akin Fadeyi and Omo Bazuaye accused the Minister of plagiarism and outright theft after they alleged that he stole the CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME concept launched last year from their work.
The pair in a statement said the concept was submitted to the Federal Government through the minister who later changed the name and proceeded to launch the programme at an elaborate ceremony presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari without recourse to them.
This time around, the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) is accusing the Minister of plagiarizing its proposal that was presented to him under the name ‘Bar Coding Technology for the Creative Industry in Nigeria’.
In a five-page petition written by Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Counsel to PMAN dated July 20, 2017, the Minister was asked to “desist forthwith from proceeding further with the implementation of action plans or any item agreed upon at the recently staged two-day conference on Creative Industry in Lagos.
Reports say that on August 5, 2016 the PMAN President, Pretty Okafor paid a visit to the minister where he handed the proposal which detailed plans on how to boost the creative industry during a presentation meeting.
According to PMAN, the proposal contained ideas on how to improve the creative industry and generate over N15 trillion revenue for the government and the recommendations in its proposal were what the government went ahead to implement under the guise of the ‘Creative Industry Financing Conference’.
Read also: Kemi Olunloyo says she has problems with blood pressure, bronchial tubes (Video)
Ejiofor said; “Though the conference was deceptively tagged “creative industry financing conference”, it is our client’s firm belief that the conference was held in full implementation of our client’s original brain child and ideas as clearly highlighted in their respective presentation of 5th August, 2016 and Action Plan of 18th August, 2016, all in the possession of the Ministry of Information and Culture.”
The petition also warned the Minister to desist from continuing with the plans in the proposal while also handing down a 72-hour ultimatum with a caveat that failure to heed their warning will result to taking the matter to court for violation of intellectual property.
“Our client viewed this action as a grave infringement of their intellectual property rights and dubious conversion of their brain child ideas and concept, originating from painstaking professional study, research and investigation that gulped them over N500,000,” the petition read in part.
However, in a statement by the Minister signed by his Special Adviser, Segun Adeyemi, Lai Mohammed described the accusation as blackmail, daring PMAN to go to court.
“It is the most ridiculous statement we have heard and it smacks of blackmail. Having seen the success of the Creative Industry Financing Conference which we held in Lagos recently, they must have been so overawed by it all, hence they felt the need to pour cold water on it.
“We dare them to go to court. If they don’t, we will sue them for defamation of character”, the statement read.
By Ahmed Boulor…
RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears
Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
German Police bust alleged Nigerian scam dating ring
German authorities have arrested eleven individuals suspected of being members of a Nigerian mafia group involved in a large-scale dating...
INVESTIGATION: In Kwara, multimillion-naira milk processing plant is abandoned, converted to a chicken outlet
After the government spent millions of naira to establish a milk processing plant in Kwara State that would provided jobs...
SPECIAL REPORT: For Sokoto communities, promise of healthcare is akin to death sentence
In this story, ABDULRASHEED HAMMAD delves into the dire realities of Primary Health Care services in Sokoto State, shedding light...
ICYMI…SPECIAL REPORT: NNPCL hides behind PIA to frustrate disclosure, accountability
Nigeria’s major oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), in what appears to be a common practice of disregard...
INVESTIGATION: Multi-million naira Ekiti resort center remains uncompleted a decade after
The multimillion-naira project, expected to comprise recreational buildings, now consists of cassava farmland, a bush used for excretion, and a...
Anita Kingsley
July 29, 2017 at 3:00 pm
What else do you want a liar to do if not to steal? Stealing is part of their qualities, let Lai keep stealing, that’s his headache
Thesource
July 29, 2017 at 5:36 pm
Those who allergies must prove, remember? Keep engaging in innuendos, we shall meet in court.
front man
July 29, 2017 at 5:39 pm
Shut up
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:08 am
Tell that fool
Night Crawler
July 29, 2017 at 5:57 pm
You are saying trash, you keep insulting an innocent man without prove
Anita Kingsley
July 29, 2017 at 6:51 pm
Night crawler… it is simple, Lai Mohammed is a liar, all Nigerians know this, you don’t have to come here to start defending your master. And of cos, this is not his first time of being caught in intellectual theft. Tell your boss to be original, Nigerians are tired!
dpfrank
July 29, 2017 at 6:53 pm
Stop supporting cheap blackmails and calculated lies, can you prove the allegation?
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:12 pm
Please ask her oo
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:08 am
Gbam
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:07 am
Pls tell them to prove it
dele20
July 29, 2017 at 7:06 pm
Why believing in lies? Where is your proof?
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:07 am
Abi ooo
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Online e rat shut up
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:07 am
Tell them
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:12 pm
He his not a liar, you are calling him a lair because because he blocked the holes you and your masters steal from.
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:07 am
Shut up and go get a life
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Exactly
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:07 am
GBam
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:10 pm
Don’t mind him.
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:07 am
Who sends him sef
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:06 am
Abi oo
dpfrank
July 29, 2017 at 6:51 pm
This is an agent of cheap blackmails and calculated lies, ignore him.
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Trash
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:10 pm
It is people like you that want to tarnish the image of HMIC but you have failed already.
JOHNSON PETER
July 29, 2017 at 10:30 pm
Which woman leader you be
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:06 am
Sharrap
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:06 am
Abi ooo
Animashaun Ayodeji
July 29, 2017 at 3:18 pm
This man should stop performing this rubbish, it is too much already. He’s disgracing the presidency and the whole country. Lai should stick to lying and stop stealing people’s materials jarey
front man
July 29, 2017 at 5:36 pm
You are seriously not alright, who is performing rubbish, he his doing his job and doing it perfectly. If you don’t know what to say just shut up.
dele20
July 29, 2017 at 7:04 pm
The guy is a drunk
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:06 am
Big time
Animashaun Ayodeji
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 pm
frontman, dele, thesource and every other person criticizing me for my comment on Mr Lai’s reported plagiarism, I remain unapologetic, I’m also a writer, I know how it feels when people steal my works without giving me any credit. You all should grow up and stand up for the truth. We need Nigeria to grow and not support people stealing from us. Intellectual theft is greater than stealing public funds. Nigeria ought to have grown past this, as Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture who is also lawyer, I believe Mr Mohammed knows this is wrong
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:06 am
You are saying rubbish. If you really are a professional at what you do, you should know better than anybody that’ “you’re are not meant to comment on what you’re not sure of or have solid proof ” where is your our prove that Alh Lai Mohammed plagiarized?? Please learn to always not believe everything you see on the internet
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:03 am
Tell him
Thesource
July 29, 2017 at 5:38 pm
What evidence do you have to support your bogus claims? You’re the one disgracing your miserable self in the public space by exhibiting blissful ignorance! ?????
JOHNSON PETER
July 29, 2017 at 10:31 pm
Accept the truth without evidence
Thesource
July 31, 2017 at 8:30 am
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b383fbd779d4ba84c61e7d91a5a9f33f317e746e89704f3b5c38f11c91a3e807.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b891a4e447f4c4c7130fa769be751357a9b9769e99e68a52205033b96a5d2666.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ea015809f86bec09ec3e1769ad57932698d5f0fc0be560f5edbaa92c4fa85853.jpg here’s an evidence based response. Be guided!
dpfrank
July 29, 2017 at 6:47 pm
Its a shame that people like you just come out to support blatant lies
dele20
July 29, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Can you just imagine
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:03 am
I wonder oooo
dele20
July 29, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Yours is to comment without reasoning, the news above is full of lies
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:08 pm
Obviously!
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:06 pm
Abeg park well
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:03 am
Abi oo
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Be reasonable please.
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:03 am
Tell him
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:02 am
Shut up and get outta here
Thesource
July 29, 2017 at 5:34 pm
How more ridiculous could these louts sound? You claimed you submitted a proposal to the minister on how the government could make N15tr and a summit was organized for the players in the creative industry, what exactly is the fuss?
I think the minister gave an apt response, go to court or he sues your miserable ass! Cheap blackmail, and cheap publicity everywhere.
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:06 pm
Don’t mind them
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:02 am
Who has time for them
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Abi ooo
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:01 am
Yes ooo
AYODEJI
July 29, 2017 at 5:43 pm
This is a clear rubbish and a big lie…..Even the busuaye and fadeyi can’t defend their allegations to an extent. I think this set of people that orchestrated this lie should be dealt with according to the law
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:06 pm
Well spoken
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Of cause, they are only looking for every ways to tarnished HMIC good names but they shall continue to fail.
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:02 am
That’s it
Night Crawler
July 29, 2017 at 5:59 pm
Ripples no one knows this blog or website, this is one of the reason why hate speech must be sorted out and social media monitored
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:05 pm
Exactly!
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:01 am
That’s just it
dpfrank
July 29, 2017 at 6:50 pm
Those who are carrying out cheap blackmails and calculated lies against the HMIC should know that their efforts are dead on arrival.
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:04 pm
They are failures.they will never achieve their bad aims.
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:01 am
Gbam
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:05 pm
They shall all fail
Abeni Adebisi
July 29, 2017 at 6:58 pm
When I first read the story, I didn’t believe it oo. But with the shots showing PMAN’s social media post, i was totally convinced Mr Lai did stole from them. It’s not only a slap on Mr Lai, it is absolutely shouldn’t be tolerated in a civilized country like Nigeria. Anyone coming out to defend Mr Lai should think twice before supporting plagiarism in Nigerian government. This is why Nigeria will never grow, if our leaders cannot come up with original and authentic ideas, then how are they going to move the country forward? We should all think!
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:05 pm
Stop that those guys have been paid to post this rubbish
Abeni Adebisi
July 29, 2017 at 7:11 pm
Paid to post rubbish you say? This is the same platform that has given excellent investigative reports! Anything you read on ripples Nigeria isn’t only credible, it is factual and you should trust it.
progressive
July 30, 2017 at 7:26 am
But this same platform has made Nigerians to realize that pdp as a party does not have any plan for this country
excel
July 30, 2017 at 9:51 am
Imagine how dumb your are, seems you are member of the miscreant group that assigned to spread this useless rumour. Sawdust in your head.
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:00 am
Yes oo
stackCrawler
July 30, 2017 at 12:00 am
You can’t even construct good English. I leave your case for your mates
progressive
July 30, 2017 at 7:24 am
The story was a show of shame that was been cooked up by evil pdp e rats who are jobless they think lai Mohammed will be distracted by thks propaganda they published in the media this is a nothing but shame to who has brought up this fake news
excel
July 30, 2017 at 9:48 am
Ooh without no doubt you are too lazy and weak minded to make use of your sense by your self, shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:03 pm
Those people that think they are smart and thinking they can pull down this government with their mouth with be put to shame
stackCrawler
July 29, 2017 at 11:59 pm
Well said
front man
July 29, 2017 at 7:03 pm
Useless people all plans to tarnish HMIC has fail
stackCrawler
July 29, 2017 at 11:59 pm
That’s it ooo
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:06 pm
This is rubbish and their plans will surely fail.
stackCrawler
July 29, 2017 at 11:59 pm
I agree with you
woman leader1
July 29, 2017 at 7:13 pm
This is a real calculated lies
stackCrawler
July 29, 2017 at 11:59 pm
Gbam
Abeni Adebisi
July 29, 2017 at 7:19 pm
After all, Asari Dokubo was right when he said “Nigeria is now a country of liars, ruled by liars, and managed by liars”, and I can now understand him very well. See Lai Mohammed’s babies supporting their master… all Lies. This is not how to debunk incorrect report, I think whoever has asked these kids to come and start attacking people here should employ sound communicators who have more knowledge in media, reporting and how publicity works. I feel embarrassed to see my fellow Nigerians support mediocrity of our government.
stackCrawler
July 29, 2017 at 11:59 pm
Shut up you fool
progressive
July 30, 2017 at 7:22 am
You must be stupid is it not this same asari that have been eaten oil money without no tangible thing on ground if not for buhari who cancelled the scam contract Jonathan award to him the oil sector could have been worst more than this
excel
July 30, 2017 at 9:45 am
You are just been hypocrite. Where are those that make similar allegation last year? You are the one to use your sense don’t allow some mischievous moniker to use it for you. From the useless write you should have known that this report is baseless, selfish, greedy and not patriotic about Nigerians and Nigeria.
yanju omotodun
July 29, 2017 at 8:13 pm
Senseless and clueless.
progressive
July 30, 2017 at 7:07 am
This is part of the fake news lai Mohammed have been talking about whether they like it or not the hate speech and fake news will surely be look into so that those who spreading nonsense news will surely be dealt with
seyi jelili
July 29, 2017 at 10:16 pm
Other news please
stackCrawler
July 29, 2017 at 11:58 pm
Lol; abi oo.
progressive
July 30, 2017 at 7:05 am
The writer is just be jobless he should lol somewhere else
stackCrawler
July 29, 2017 at 11:58 pm
Pman doesn’t know what to do again; they are trying to make fame
progressive
July 30, 2017 at 7:04 am
This writer is only wanting to be known but he has forgotten that lai Mohammed never done any of those things he has mentioned
progressive
July 30, 2017 at 7:27 am
Kudos to hmic HMIC for the good you are doing those who thinks they can use the media to do their evil deed will surely fail.
Oise Oikelomen
July 30, 2017 at 8:19 am
This is the second time that I’ve noticed these faceless trolls invading RipplesNG’s web space in defence of minister Lai. Is this what we should expect from his new media managers initiative? This is so totally childish.
excel
July 30, 2017 at 9:38 am
Mr. Nigerians knows how much the HMIC his working hard to change and develop the creative industry in Nigeria, so they will not sit back and allow some miscreant to blackmail him. Just because oc their own selfish and greedy interest.
Oise Oikelomen
July 30, 2017 at 9:50 am
And those who think differently about the HMIC aren’t Nigerians? The same creative industry you claim he is working hard to develop have been in an almost bitter tussle with him lately. Isn’t PMAN a key player in the industry? Why would key players in the industry – Psquare, Chidi Mokeme, PMAN – be lambasting the HMIC if he is truly for them?
excel
July 30, 2017 at 9:34 am
Useless faceless blog site desperate for traffic, Shameless. That is how they make similar noise last year but when they were called to defend their allegation they disappeared. Useless mofo seeking attention.