Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted a restraining order against Wale Adenuga Production Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Wale Adenuga, stopping them from producing or publishing the legendary television series, the Village Headmaster, pending the hearing of an interlocutory injunction filed against the company and its owner before the court.
Olujimi Olusola, the executor and beneficiary of the estate of Ambassador Olusegun Olusola had filed a suit delineated FHC/L/CS/117/2021 through his legal representatives; Professor Bankole Sodipo and Segun Suleiman against Wale Adenuga Production Limited and had joined Chief Wale Adenuga as the second defendant and the Nigeria Television Authority as the third defendant respectfully.
Justice Liman further directed the defendants to within 24-hours of being served with the order of the court, deliver to the custody of the court or the plaintiff’s counsel, all documents, invoices, relating to production, distribution, importation or broadcasting to the public, the Village Headmaster series without the permission of the plaintiff.
The court also ordered the defendants to disclose to the court who shall serve the order upon them the names addresses of all persons, companies responsible for supplying any merchandise product of the characters in the Village Headmaster
Besides, the court directed the defendants to disclose the date and quantities of such supply as well as the names and addresses of all the persons, firm and companies who are parties or associated with the defendants to the Village Headmaster series.
Justice Liman also granted an order permitting Olujimi Olusola or his counsel, court bailiff and police officers accompanying them to break open the defendant’s premises or any other premises of any member of the class of defendants situated at 20 Olutosin Ajayi Street, off-airport road, Isolo Lagos and NTA which is situated at Television House, off Obafemi Awolowo street, FDCA Road, Garki Area II Abuja where anything relating to the Village Headmaster is being kept.
The court further restrained the defendants from merchandising the Village Headmaster or the characters therein in any format whatsoever without the plaintiff’s permission pending the determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction filed before the court and granted an Anton Piller order permitting the bailiff of the court and the plaintiff’s solicitors and their representatives to carry out a search, inspection; copying, photographing or removing into the court premises any document relating to the Village Headmaster.
The Anton Piller order is a court order that requires the defendant in proceedings to permit the plaintiff or his or her legal representatives to enter the defendant’s premises to obtain evidence essential to the plaintiff’s case and the court further ordered police protection for the bailiff of the court in the execution of the order of the court.
However, Justice Liman ordered Olujimi Olusola to file an undertaking to indemnify the defendants should it turn out that these orders ought not to have been granted and granted the defendants the liberty to apply to the court to vary or discharge the orders upon giving 48-hour notice to the plaintiff’s counsel or his intention to do so. The matter was adjourned till March 11, 2021, for the hearing of the interlocutory injunction.
It should be recalled that ‘The Village Headmaster’, the popular comedy-drama series that aired on the Nigerian Television Network (NTA), was planned to return to the screens 30 years after it was rested.
The production now parades a diverse cast of superstars, including 9ice, Chris Iheuwa (Village Headmaster), Mr Latin, Rachael Oniga, Funky Mallam, Jide Kosoko, Omo Ibadan, Okele, Fathia Balogun, Ricardo Agbor, and Yemi Shodimu.
Others are Binta Ayo Mogaji, Jide Alabi, Christy Imanlehin, Yemi Remi, Monica Friday, Deborah Anugwa, Ajobiewe Jr., Jumoke Olabisi, Ronke Oshodi Oke, Eric Obinna, and many others. The NTA recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wale Adenuga Productions (WAP) and it officially marked the beginning of a partnership aimed at bringing the iconic drama series back on the air.
Following the MoU, the much-loved series is now being produced by WAP and was planned to return to the screens in April 2021 on NTA Network, AIT Network, and wapTV Network.
The recording of the first season of the Village Headmaster commenced on November 9, 2020, at several locations across Lagos State and was recently concluded.
Directed by the multiple-award-winning Patience Oghre Imobhio, the programme stars some of the original cast, including Dejumo Lewis (Kabiyesi) and Ibidun Allison (Amebo). Others are Dan Imoudu (Chief Dagbolu), Dele Osawe (Teacher Fadele), Melvin Obriago (Teacher Oghene), Lara Akinsola (Doyin), and Kate Adepegba (Folake).
Interestingly, the latter played the role of Folake, one of the loyal girls who served as apprentices in Sisi Clara’s shop.
The Village Headmaster (later renamed The New Village Headmaster) is a famous Nigerian television drama series created by Olusegun Olusola and produced by Dejumo Lewis. Originally a radio drama series, the programme was Nigeria’s longest-running television soap opera which showed on the NTA from 1968 to 1988 and starred Ted Muroko as the original headmaster. The television series was developed by Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation and is considered one of the early successes of television drama in Nigeria.
In 2021, a new revival of the show was announced, with Chris Iheuwa in the lead role of the headmaster. Actors from the original series are also returning.