Nkonkonsa Celebrity Gossip From Africa
Ghana’s award-winning rapper Sarkodie has filed a lawsuit against Ecobank Ghana at the High Court’s Commercial Division, accusing the financial institution of unauthorized use of his likeness in an advertisement campaign. The suit, which has sparked widespread debate, alleges intellectual property infringement and reputational harm 1.
According to court documents, Sarkodie born Michael Owusu Addo contends that Ecobank’s advertisement featured a lookalike so strikingly similar to him that it misled the public into believing he endorsed the bank’s services. The rapper, who is currently the brand ambassador for First Bank a direct competitor argues this created “brand confusion” and undermined his existing commercial agreements.
Key demands in the suit include:
- Financial damages for reputational and economic losses
- A permanent injunction to prevent further use of his image
- Immediate withdrawal of all related advertisements, including digital and print materials 1.
The case raises critical questions about celebrity image rights in Ghana’s advertising industry. Sarkodie’s legal team emphasized:
“Using a lookalike of a public figure—especially one with competing endorsements—crosses ethical lines. This wasn’t just misleading; it risked damaging our client’s professional credibility.”
The bank has eight days to respond to the court summons. Failure to comply could result in a default judgment. Ecobank has yet to issue a public statement
Source:NKONKONSA.com
