Gospel Artist Osinachi Joseph Egbu aka Sinach

The Federal High Court in Lagos, Nigeria, has dismissed a copyright lawsuit filed against Nigerian gospel artist Osinachi Joseph Egbu, known professionally as Sinach, regarding her song “Way Maker.”

The lawsuit, brought by Michael Oluwole, claimed co-authorship and co-ownership of the track. Oluwole sought 5 billion Nigerian Naira—approximately 3.7 million US dollars or 27.6 billion South Sudanese Pounds—in damages.

Delivering the judgment, Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa ruled that the plaintiff failed to establish legal evidence of authorship or ownership.

Court findings established that Sinach created and performed “Way Maker” before hiring the plaintiff to perform technical services, specifically mixing and mastering.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa stated that copyright ownership resides with the creator of the original artistic expression, including melody, lyrics, harmony, or arrangement.

The court clarified that technical support services do not grant authorship rights, thereby confirming Sinach’s sole ownership of the work.

The ruling has drawn attention to intellectual property protections within regional creative sectors, including South Sudan, where legal frameworks for artists remain an active topic among industry stakeholders.

Legal and industry experts maintain that clear enforcement of copyright legislation supports creative investment and ensures creators retain legal rights to their work.