With the recent statement from President Trump of the USA to levy 100% tariff on all films coming into the USA that were not produced/made in USA, the implication of such higher tariff on the emerging cultural creative film industries from Africa like Nollywood is discussed here in this episode.

April 26 is World IP Day. This years theme is "Music and IP: Feel the Beat of IP"

An event established by the World Intellectual Property Organization to promote the visibility of intellectual property in human endeavors and its intersectionality.

Let us all focus on bringing to reality the global recognition and acceptance of African traditional cultural expressions, which are the main forces that propels the contemporary African music in the creative spaces all over the world. We can only feel the IP beats in music if traditional cultural expressions become 'A LEGAL THING.'

Let us remember that without the African music genre of beautiful tapestry and genre from North, South , East and west Africa-- High life (Ghana/Nigeria), Juju (Nigeria), Afrobeat (Fela-Nigerian originator), Mbalax (Senegal), Soukous (Congo), Makossa (Cameroon), Kwaito (South Africa), Amapiano (South Africa), Gqom (South Africa), Ethio Jazz (Ethiopia), Azonto (Ghana), Rai (Algeria), Gnawa (Morocco), Bongo Flava (Tanzania)... we will and may not have the current successful and booming music industry of today.

African beats have influenced the output of the music industry of other regions of the world. The music in Asia, North America, Europe are heavily colored with the rhythms of Africa... some are borrowed without compensation, some the compensation are inadequate...Hopefully African Music will feel the Beats of IP ..>So that the beats of African creators will not be muted...

Happy World IP Day to all music and IP enthusiasts. Long Live Afro Beat.

I am continuing the discussion on finding the needed balance in applying AI generative programs in legal writing/education for sustainable Legal education in Africa in the technology era.

My presentation at the 2nd Gulf International forum, Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University, Washington DC-April 12, 2025

I spoke with Law students at Vishwakarma University, Pune in India during their gender inclusivity and parity conference recently.

Here is part of that talk.

In a short talk to a group of IP mentees I explored how the Classic Nollywood industry birthed the current Nigerian indigenous Comedy industry-Naija comedy. I also examined the AI creative jurisprudence and the need for IP lawyers to gear up towards uncharted legal territories in rights protection and downstream economic advisory roles.

Nollywood, the Nigerian audiovisual industry is among the world’s biggest film industries currently. Globally, Hollywood of the United States and Bollywood of India occupy the first and second position hierarchically in terms of cinematic impact. One of the derivatives creations of the classical Nollywood is the birth of a subset industry, which this paper refers to as Naija- comedy. This short paper seeks to analyze the intersection of a strong copyright regime and indigenous creativity using traditional and ingenious Nigerian comedy, that began initially from a place of sheer recreation and entertainment but has become a niche entrepreneurial brand as a focal take of point in the discussion on the African creative industries.

I spoke virtually to a group of mentees, which included students and emerging professionals within the intellectual property field about legal ethics and the adherence to Rule of Professional Responsibility of the legal profession.

Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other streaming platforms.

African Intellectual Property & Traveling

Ibn Battutah stated in THE TRAVELS OF IBN BATTUTAH that "Traveling-it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller"

In this episode I reiterate the sentiments of Ibn Battutah, that Traveling from my experience and recordings can impel great IP scholarship, expressions and knowledge.