The President of the Practitioners of Content Creators, Skit Makers and Influencers Guild of Nigeria (PCCSIGN), Micheal Nwabufo, popularly known as Mike Premium, has announced the amicable resolution of trademark matters involving the viral catchphrase “Something Hooge,” widely associated with Nigerian comedian Chukwuemeka Ejekwu.
The issues involved major consumer brands Peak Milk and Gala Sausage Roll, which had previously used elements linked to Sabinus’ creative identity in promotional campaigns.
Mike Premium, who represented the interests of the creator within the creative industry ecosystem, had earlier initiated legal proceedings seeking N1 billion against FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, makers of Peak Milk and N100 million against UAC Foods Limited, producers of Gala Sausage Roll, over the use of the catchphrase.
Providing an update, the PCCSIGN president confirmed that the matters had been resolved amicably through mutual agreement, partnership and professional engagement.
According to him, the outcome represents a positive development for the Nigerian creative industry and demonstrates that disputes relating to intellectual property can be addressed constructively through legal channels and dialogue.
The phrase “Something Hooge,” which gained nationwide popularity through Sabinus’ comedy skits, had earlier been filed for trademark protection with the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment’s Industrial Property Office Registry. Official trademark acceptance records indicate that the word mark “Something Hooge” was filed on November 26, 2021 and accepted on December 4, 2021, under multiple classes, including Class 35 (advertising and business promotion), Class 36 (financial and commercial affairs) and Class 41 (entertainment, training and cultural activities).
Mike Premium noted that the protection of the phrase across several classes positioned it as a recognised intellectual property asset associated with Sabinus’ entertainment brand.
He added that through PCCSIGN, the guild is working to promote greater awareness of intellectual property protection for content creators, skit makers and digital influencers across the country.
According to him, the guild has also been engaging stakeholders within the creative ecosystem to encourage creators to properly register their intellectual property, formalise their businesses and establish structured collaborations with brands.
He also confirmed that no further legal action is pending regarding the matter.
Sabinus had first raised concerns about the use of the phrase in 2022 after Peak Milk used “Something Hooge” in a promotional post for its National Breakfast Week campaign on social media. Through his legal representatives, he demanded compensation, arguing that the slogan had already been trademarked as his intellectual property.
The comedian also raised a separate complaint against UAC Foods, alleging that the company used a cartoon image resembling him in a promotional post for Gala sausage roll without his consent.
Sabinus, popularly known as Oga Sabinus or Mr Funny, rose to prominence through online comedy skits and won the best online social content creator award at the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards in 2022.
