Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has appealed to Ghanaian authorities to investigate a television station she accused of illegally airing her newly released film, The Memory of You Part 2, without her approval.
The actress made the allegation in a video shared on Instagram on Saturday, claiming that North East TV broadcast the movie less than a day after it premiered on her YouTube channel.
Ojo expressed disappointment over the development, saying she had no prior dealings with the station and never granted permission for the film to be aired.
“I found out that there’s this TV station called North East TV in Ghana already showing my movie on their TV channel. I don’t understand. I didn’t give you permission. I don’t know you,” she said.
According to the filmmaker, unauthorised broadcasts deprive producers of the income needed to recover the huge costs involved in making movies.
“You just took my movie that I posted on my YouTube channel, not even up to 24 hours, and put it on your TV for people to watch for free while you make money. How do we make our money back?” she queried.
She urged the Ghana National Film Authority, government officials and the country’s President to address the issue, insisting that piracy threatens the livelihood of filmmakers.
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“Ghana National Film Authority, the minister in Ghana, the Ghanaian President himself, please look into this because it is very unfair that we Nigerians work so hard to produce our movies and some people sit in their corner transmitting them on local TV,” she said.
Ojo noted that producing a film requires substantial investment, including payments to actors and crew, equipment, accommodation, costumes and filming locations, making unauthorised use of such content especially damaging.
Her complaint attracted support from several colleagues in the film industry who said they had encountered similar experiences.
Actress Destiny Etiko wrote, “That’s what they do to all our movies o. I have complained so much and am tired.”
Bimbo Ademoye also reacted, saying, “Watch them come and say they’re doing you a favour. Then Kafui Danku would tell you she’s working on it, then turn around and say you’re clout chasing.”
Many social media users encouraged the actress to pursue legal action against the station over the alleged copyright infringement.