Victory for Sinach: Court Declares ‘Way Maker’ Solely Her Song, Dismisses ₦5 Billion Copyright Claim

After nearly two years of legal proceedings, award-winning Nigerian gospel singer Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu (Sinach) has secured a major legal victory as the Federal High Court in Lagos affirmed her as the sole author and copyright owner of her globally celebrated worship anthem, Way Maker.

The court’s decision brings an end to a closely watched copyright dispute filed by music producer Michael Oluwole, popularly known as Maye, who sought recognition as a co-author and co-owner of the internationally acclaimed song.

Maye had argued that his role in recording, mixing, mastering, and creating instrumental accompaniments for the track entitled him to joint ownership. He also asked the court to order that royalties and licensing income from the song be shared with him, while demanding ₦5 billion in damages.

However, delivering judgment, Justice Lewis Allagoa ruled that the producer failed to establish that he made any original creative contribution that would qualify him as a joint author under Nigerian copyright law.

According to the court, the evidence presented showed that Sinach had already written, composed, and performed Way Maker before Maye was brought in to mix and master the recording ahead of its commercial release in 2015.

The court further accepted that the producer had been compensated for his studio services under an oral agreement, stressing that payment for technical production does not automatically confer ownership of a musical work.

Justice Allagoa explained that, under Nigerian copyright law, authorship belongs to the individual responsible for creating the original expressive elements of a song, including its lyrics, melody, harmony, and musical arrangement. He noted that producers, sound engineers, and session musicians do not become co-authors solely by providing recording, mixing, mastering, or other technical services unless they can prove they contributed original creative expression to the work.

In a strongly worded judgment, the court described the lawsuit as “gold digging and unmeritorious,” dismissing the case in its entirety.

The ruling is widely regarded as a significant precedent for Nigeria’s music industry, reinforcing the legal distinction between creative authorship and technical production while providing greater clarity on copyright ownership.

For Sinach, whose Way Maker has become one of the most influential gospel songs of the modern era, the judgment marks the conclusion of a prolonged legal battle and reaffirms her exclusive rights to one of the world’s most celebrated worship anthems.

Congratulations have continued to pour in from fans, colleagues, and members of the gospel music community as the singer celebrates her decisive courtroom victory.