Ghana has given a firm indication of initiating a legal action against producers of the popular 2018 American superhero film, Black Panther, over alleged patent and copyright breaches.
According to the Ghana National Folklore Board, Marvel Studios, who are the producers of the record breaking film, used the country’s famous and celebrated traditional fabric, Kente, in some of its scenes without appropraite permission.
Marvel, according to the Board, was required under copyright laws, to have sought permission from it before going ahead to use Ghana’s kente in the film that broke several box office records netting 1.344 billion dollars as of May 22, 2018.
She added: “We are preparing a legal dossier.”
Though she said preparations have started on initiating the case, Ghana was yet to officially write to Marvel to express its concerns regarding the alleged breaches and accordingly serve notice of a possible suit.
“The strategy is that we are not going in for a fight,” she indicated, adding “it is not adversarial”.
Rather, Ms Adobea said the Board will “sit down with them [Marvel Studios], negotiate as to how they can compensate [Ghana] because they were to come for permission but they did not”.
She explained permissions are not required of anyone intending to use any of the Ghanaian symbols and folklore in a customary context or for personal use.
More to face sanctions over breaches?
Meanwhile, the Board says it will go after Starz, producers of ‘American Gods TV’ series for allegedly misrepresenting the Akan folkloric character Ananse as a god in the sequel instead of a trickster spider.
Another case the Board said it will pursue is one involving the popular Italian fashion designer, Velentino [Velentino Garavani], for allegedly commercializing the Ahenema royal African sandals.
The Board said it has written to all corporate institutions who intend to use any of the Adinkra symbols for their corporate logo or commercialization to seek permission from the Board before doing same.
“With regards to Black Panther, you know there was a lot of Kente. Adinkra symbols also featured heavily in the movie. So they are also part of the foreign claims that we intend to take upon,” acting Director of the National Folklore Board, Nana Adjoa Adobea told Winston Amoah on 3FM’s morning magazine show, Sunrise.
Source: 3news.com
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CONCERT PARTY OF A COUNTRY....SMH
Kente in not for Ghana alone. TOGO AND IVORYCOAST also have Kente.
I don’t get it. Explain to me, who owns Ghana’s patent to Kente? Don’t we use their music, don’t we use their clothes? What do you want us to go and fight for? That they wore our kente? ***barred word***. You shd be proud, call it low self-esteem, whatever, that our clothing is being showcased internationally. Don’t we wear their designer clothing in our movies, who sued because of that? It’s a shame to say we shd go and ‘fight for what belongs to us’—kente? And who is going to collect that money, our chiefs or the weavers? Gimme a break.
And they gonna sue you for wearing Jeans and Coats in your movies. Tweaaa kai.
Who is going to take the compensation....Bonwire or Ghana....smh
...but then that's the attitude of the average Ghanaian. Esteem soo low they can't even imagine fighting for what rightfully belongs to them. Sad.
This is ***barred word*** smh
Kwasi.asem. Where is Ghana’s patent right to kente? How can you be so st.u.p.i.d? Disgraceful people. Bow down your heads in shame? Where did that sue sue come from? Who thought you that? Look at how they honored us n Africa as a whole by exhibiting our pride. And because of your selfishness and p3s3menkomeya you want to sue for peanuts. Shame! I’m ashamed of you! Go , go ahead and disgrace us, s3 dea mominaanie
Senseless... you people should even be happy Ghana was the preferred country to be marketed on such a platform
great. ghana is working again.