Anne Njemanze loses to Zeb Ejiro in Domittila trademark lawsuit

The registration and application of Domittila as a trademark by actress Anne Njemanze was on Thursday, May 4, cancelled by a trademark tribunal sitting at the Trademark headquarters in Abuja. 

 

“Domitilla” is the title of a movie produced in 1996 by Zeb Ejiro, which starred Njemanze as the lead character. Njemanze however trademarked the name “Domitilla and Device” on September 16, 2020. 

 

Ejiro, through his team of lawyers, led by Mr Rockson Igelige, approached the registry to challenge the purported registration of the brand “Domitila and Device’ by Njemanze. He said the trademark had being in use since 1996 in connection with films and matters which fell under class 41 of the Register of Trademarks in Nigeria.

 

It was noted that Zeb Ejiro employed and paid Njemanze to act in his films “Domitilla” and “Domitilla 2”, and she also knew of the petitioner’s prior and continuous use of the name since 1996.

 

Chief Registrar, Shafiu Adamu Yauri, who ruled on the application filed by veteran filmmaker, Zeb Ejiro, over the rightful ownership of the brand, ”Domitilla”, cancelled the registration and application of Domittila as a trademark by Annie Njemanze on grounds of it being issued to her by the commission in error.