Fa Ne Fom hitmaker, DJ Azonto has filed a lawsuit against Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for unauthorized use of his song during a political rally.
Dr Bawumia, the Vice President of Ghana and current flagbearer of the NPP, was captured in a viral video campaigning in various parts of the country.
In a press release dated May 16, 2024, DJ Azonto stated that he was not approached for permission before the song was used at the campaign event.
As a result, he is seeking $10 million in compensation. The musician argues that failure to pay would demonstrate a lack of respect for intellectual property rights.
See below for the full statement;
“The Rolls Royce Family, management of DJ Azonto is deeply disappointed to announce that the Vice President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia used DJ Azonto’s song “Fa No Fom” without our consent during his presidential campaign events in the North East region, Nalerigu.
The video of this unauthorized usage has gone viral on the internet, further exacerbating the situation. This unauthorized use of our artist’s property for campaign purposes is unacceptable and a clear infringement of intellectual property rights.
As the rightful managers of DJ Azonto’s work, we were neither approached for permission nor authorised the use of “Fa No Fom” in any capacity related to the Vice President’s campaign.
This action disregards the creative rights body and also, the efforts of DJ Azonto and the Rolls Royce Family management. In light of this infringement, we demand a compensation of $10 million. This amount reflects the value of the work and the damages incurred to the artist and management due to its misuse in such a high-profile campaign.
We also emphasize the importance of respecting our copyright laws and intellectual property rights. Furthermore, we want to highlight that musicians and the entire entertainment body are always willing to collaborate with aspiring presidential candidates, provided that the proper channels are followed.
A simple call to the artist’s management can and will ensure the legal and respectful use of their work, thereby avoiding any unauthorized use of our intellectual properties.
We urge Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team to immediately address this issue and take steps to prevent such oversights in the future.
We also request a fair and timely settlement from Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s team to resolve the unauthorized use of DJ Azonto’s song in a manner that protects and respects intellectual property rights of the country.”
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