A Lagos-based lawyer and multi-talented artiste, Daniella Madudu has accused award-winning Nollywood actress, Stephanie Okereke-Linus of adapting her manuscript into a movie, 'DRY' without authorisation and credit.

In a letter addressed to the actress by Madudu's solicitors, Rafiu Bello & Co, the writer stated that she had granted one Joy Ndidi who worked as Stephanie's assistant and associate, access to her manuscript for her editorial input some years back. She was however shocked to find overwhelming semblances between her manuscript and the plot of the award-winning movie, Dry, on seeing the movie.

A portion of the letter read:

"Our client is a prolific writer, lawyer, Nigerian citizen, domiciled and resident in Nigeria and is the author of the original literary work entitled “BEHIND HER VEIL”  Our client is the owner of the copyright in the inimitable fictional story in the said literary work. BEHIND HER VEIL is one of our client’s many literary works.  Our client had the inspiration to put together the literary work “BEHIND HER VEIL” as far back as 2011.  The quality control process of our client necessitated her having trusted editors and close friends to review the manuscript for suggestions. One of our client’s close friend and confidant who often spent some nights in her room at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria, Joy Ndidi, who was chosen as one of the editors, had access to the said manuscript on our client’s HP laptop computer. Our client has known her said friend, Joy Ndidi to be your personal Assistant and Associate for many years.

"In September 2015, some of the editors of our client’s manuscript had drawn our client’s attention to the cinematography “DRY” credited to you and was then being advertised to be shown across cinemas in Nigeria.  The said editors were certain that the cinematography infringed our client’s literary work “BEHIND HER VEIL” which informed the drawing of our client’s attention to it.

"Following our client’s knowledge of the infringement, our client commissioned a team of foreign and Nigerian Information Technology (I.T.) and Intellectual Property experts to investigate and collate data.  The said experts have forensically examined our client’s said laptop and have further confirmed the evidence that Joy Ndidi copied our client’s manuscript.  The copy of the cinematography “DRY” was also made available to this team of experts and they have come up with a SCHEDULE showing substantial particulars of the main semblances between our client’s literary work and the infringing cinematography “DRY”.

"Clearly, there is a case of criminal breach of trust and stealing intended to be pressed against Joy Ndidi for dishonestly taking the intellectual property of our client and converting it to your use in the cinematography “DRY” for yet to be disclosed consideration. BEHIND HER VEIL is the original literary work for the cinematography “DRY” which you have purportedly claimed ownership of the story in the movie.  A substantial part was adapted by you in the said movie. We have our client’s instructions to therefore formally demand that her stolen intellectual received through Joy Ndidi be returned to her honourably by crediting original ownership of the story to our client, including our client as the script writer in subsequent copies of the movie and paying her suitable compensation in the sum of N60, 000,000.00k (Sixty Million Naira) Only  and royalties failing which both civil and criminal actions will be taken against you and Joy Ndidi jointly and severally."



Content owner Daniella Madudu
On gaining access to the letter, LAWYARD contacted Mr Rafiu Bello, the principal counsel at Rafiu Bello & Co who confirmed that his firm had been retained to represent Ms Madudu and had contacted the popular actress. Mr Bello added that Mrs Okereke-Linus had failed to respond to the letter written to her.

Mr Bello equally stated that he had the firm instructions of his client to file appropriate court processes following the refusal of the actress to respond to the demand letter.