Legendary Nigerian singer King Sunny Ade (KSA) was yesterday awarded N500 million, 30years after he sued record manufacturing company African Songs and its subsidiary, ‘Take your choice stores’ to court.
The suit was filed by KSA in 1975, and Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Lagos, ordered both companies to pay the damages.
In a statement delivered by Sunny Ade, he claimed that in 1975, a contract dispute arose between him and the two companies which led to a court case.
The court ordered the companies to return the master tapes of the original musical works produce under the label of the two companies by Sunny Ade, but before the master tape could be returned the CEO of the two companies Chief Bolarinwa Abioro died.
In a bid to retrieve the master Tapes Sunny Ade in 1997 dragged the two companies before the Federal High Court in Lagos, claiming that other companies has been using the master tapes to produce inferior qualities of his musical works and sell them to the public thereby depriving him of his means of livelihood.
However, King Sunny Ade has demanded N1 billion for damages, but in defense, both companies filed a counter claim, pointing out that he had already been paid royalties and thus had no claims to the master tape, and also sought N5million for damages.
Justice Tsoho had dismissed the counter claim on the basis of lack of merit, and ordered both parties to pay the sum of N500 million to King Sunny Ade and his band, and also return the master tapes.
