Federal High Court Dismisses Copyright Suit Against Sinach Over “Way Maker”
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has dismissed the copyright suit filed against internationally acclaimed gospel music minister Sinach (Osinachi Joseph Egbu) over her globally celebrated worship anthem, “Way Maker.”
According to a press statement issued following the judgment, the suit, filed by Michael Oluwole, sought declarations of co-authorship and co-ownership of Way Maker, as well as a share of licensing revenues, claims relating to performers’ rights, and ₦5 billion in general damages.
In delivering judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/402/2024, Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa held that the claimant failed to establish authorship or co-ownership of the musical work.
The court found that Way Maker had already been written and performed by Sinach, including an earlier performance in South Africa, before Michael Oluwole was engaged to mix and master the recording for its commercial release in 2015. The judgment further noted that he was compensated for those technical services under an oral agreement.
The court also emphasized that, under Nigerian copyright law, authorship belongs to the individual who creates the original expressive elements of a work, such as its melody, lyrics, harmony, or arrangement. It stated that technical contributions—including production, engineering, or session work—do not automatically confer authorship unless they involve the creation of original expressive content.
According to the press release, the court found that the claimant’s own evidence supported the conclusion that Sinach presented an already existing song, which was subsequently developed into a commercial recording.
The suit was dismissed in its entirety.
Reacting to the judgment, Joseph Egbu, Chairman of Slic Inspire Ltd. and Gosgem Records, alongside Sinach, expressed appreciation to the legal team led by Emeka Etiaba, SAN, for their representation throughout the proceedings.
The judgment, as stated in the release, reaffirms Sinach’s sole authorship and ownership of Way Maker, one of the most influential contemporary gospel songs of the past decade, recorded by churches and artists around the world.
The case has drawn significant attention within the gospel music community and the wider creative industry, highlighting the importance of clearly distinguishing between songwriting authorship and technical production roles in copyright disputes.
