Lawyers and industry professionals have emphasised the urgent need for stronger legal awareness within the creative sector as a foundation for building sustainable careers in entertainment.
They made this emphasis at a webinar with the theme, “The Legal Business of Entertainment: Building Sustainable Careers in a Changing Industry.”
The session was convened and hosted by a lawyer, Onu Oden Shammah, through Ekenma Ebere & Co., and moderated by Jameela Bailey and Abdulazeez Mustapha.
In his remarks, Shammah underscored the importance of understanding copyright, noting that many creatives lack clarity on ownership, authorship, as well as the economic and moral rights attached to their works, often resulting in avoidable losses.
Regarding collaborations, Janet Odunoye advised on the necessity of clear legal frameworks for partnerships, emphasising proper documentation of ownership rights, royalties, and usage terms to prevent disputes.
Also contributing, a lawyer, Omotayo G. Abiode, highlighted the need for creatives to adopt a strategic approach to intellectual property, positioning it as a long-term asset that must be actively protected and commercially managed.
From a business perspective, Sodamola Tolulope stressed the importance of branding, urging artists to evolve beyond creative expression into structured business entities capable of sustaining value.
This was reinforced by a lawyer, Williams Oluwatosin, who encouraged creatives to maintain control over their work and fully understand the implications of contractual agreements.
Speaking on dispute management, Prof Olajide Olagunju advocated the adoption of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms such as mediation and arbitration, describing them as efficient tools for resolving industry conflicts while preserving professional relationships.
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