According to reports, the settlement of the ownership dispute over the “Domitilla” brand between veteran filmmaker Zeb Ejiro and actress Anne Njemanze will occur on May 4th, 2023.
Ejiro had petitioned to revoke Njemanze’s registration of “Domitilla and Device” with the Federal Trademark Registry.
Njemanze starred as the lead character in “Domitilla,” a movie produced by Ejiro in 1996, with a sequel and remake following suit. Njemanze trademarked the name “Domitilla and Device” in 2020. The lawyers of Ejiro argued that the name had been used for films and class 41 matters since 1996 under the Register of Trademarks in Nigeria.
According to the petition, Njemanze had no goodwill or reputation in the word “Domitilla,” separate from her role in the films, which were the intellectual properties of Ejiro. Njemanze’s lawyers filed a 98-paragraph reply stating that the petition lacked merit and that they should dismiss it.
The Commercial Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has set May 4th as the date for the settlement report, with a ruling adjourned if the parties cannot reach an agreement.
