A Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a N5 billion copyright suit brought against gospel singer Osinachi Joseph Egbu, popularly known as Sinach, affirming her as the sole author and copyright owner of her global hit "Way Maker."

Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa delivered the judgment on July 24, ruling that music producer Michael Oluwole failed to establish his claim to co-authorship and co-ownership of the song.

Oluwole had filed the suit in March 2024, seeking legal recognition as co-author of "Way Maker," a share of the song's revenues, and N5 billion in damages over alleged infringement of his performer's rights. The court found his role was limited to mixing and mastering a song that already existed, after being contracted and paid for that specific service. Evidence showed Sinach had written and performed "Way Maker" internationally before Oluwole was ever brought in.

In her ruling, Justice Lewis-Allagoa held that copyright belongs to whoever creates a work's original expressive content, whether that's melody, harmony, lyrics, or arrangement, and that technical contributors like producers, engineers, and sound technicians don't automatically qualify as authors unless they contribute original creative material themselves. 

She dismissed the suit in full, reaffirming Sinach's exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, and license the song under Nigerian copyright law.

Sinach and her husband, Joseph Egbu, who chairs Slic Inspire Ltd. and Gosgem Records, said they were satisfied with the outcome.

"Way Maker" has become one of the most successful worship songs to come out of Africa since its 2015 release, earning Sinach the Dove Award for Song of the Year in 2020, making her the first Nigerian to win the honour, along with a BMI Christian Song of the Year award in 2021. The song has been covered by more than 60 artists globally, including Michael W. Smith and Leeland, both of whose versions charted in the US Top 10 concurrently in 2020, and has been translated into over 50 languages. Sinach remains the sole credited writer of the track.