The Palace of the Soun of Ogbomosoland has rejected recent claims by veteran filmmaker Lere Paimo that a new film project on Ogbori Elemoso infringes on his rights.
In a statement released by the Media Assistant to the Soun, the palace said the allegations were false and could cause unnecessary public speculation. The palace noted that it usually avoids public controversies, especially involving Paimo, who is a respected chief in the palace as Aare Arobajo of Ogbomosoland.
According to the palace, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, Orumogege III, informed Paimo of plans to develop a film project inspired by events in Ogbomoso history. The palace said Chief Paimo was invited to take part in the creative process and offered a fee for his involvement, not for any copyright.
The statement added that the Ogbori Elemoso story is part of public history and is not copyrighted. It said the new film has a different title, storyline, and plot, even though it draws from the wider history of Ogbomosoland.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Baba Lere Paimo was offered the sum of N7.5 million, an amount significantly higher than what was extended to other participants in the project,” the palace statement stressed. “Unfortunately, this offer was misconstrued as payment for copyright ownership, which was never the case.”
The palace described the public clarification as necessary to stop the spread of misinformation. It also said the matter was not a legal dispute and could have been resolved through private discussion.
The film project is expected to be completed for release next year, the palace said, as part of efforts to tell Ogbomosoland’s history on broader platforms.
Lere Paimo had earlier raised concerns that his classic Yoruba historical film Ogbori Elemoso was being remade without his consent. Ogbori Elemoso, first released in 1987, tells the story of the founding of Ogbomoso and is regarded as a landmark in Yoruba historical cinema.
He said discussions about a remake began with the Soun of Ogbomosoland, but later information suggested the project would proceed without his approval. Paimo said he quoted N100 million for rights to the work but was later approached with a lower sum described to him as a “gift,” which he and his family rejected before returning the payment.
The actor appealed to prominent Nigerians including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Pastor Enoch Adeboye to intervene over what he described as a threat to his intellectual property and legacy.
Production partners, including Fewchore Studios, have also issued statements denying any copyright breach. They said their project was independently developed with palace approval and does not use Paimo’s script or copyrighted elements. The studio insisted that historical narratives about Ogbomoso land belong to the public domain and that no exclusive rights were infringed.
