A Federal High Court located in Lagos has thrown out a N5 billion copyright lawsuit against renowned gospel artist Osinachi Joseph Egbu, professionally known as Sinach. In his ruling on July 24, 2026, Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa declared Sinach the exclusive author and owner of her hit song, Way Maker.
Music producer Michael Oluwole initiated the legal action in March 2024, asserting that he was a co-author and joint owner of the track. He sought a portion of the song’s earnings and N5 billion in damages, claiming his performer’s rights were violated. However, the court determined that Oluwole’s role was merely providing professional mixing and mastering services for pay after the song was already written.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa emphasized that the evidence demonstrated Sinach had composed and performed the song before hiring the producer. The court clarified that copyright rests with the individual who creates the original lyrics, melody, and harmony, rather than those who perform technical tasks like engineering. Consequently, the judge dismissed the case entirely, confirming that Sinach retains full rights to the song’s distribution, licensing, and performance under Nigerian law. Sinach and her husband, Joseph Egbu, noted their approval of the court’s final decision.
