Nollywoodgossip spoke with Miss Elizabeth on her life, works, the court cases, and more. Below is her detailed interview with At Home With Aniema.
Can you please tell us briefly about yourself?
I am a Christian filmmaker and Lobbyist living and working in London. I was born in Nigeria a Yoruba girl (father from Owo) but came over to Britain when I was very young. I attended Mayflower (primary school) in Nigeria and attended Royal Russell School here in Britain. I have two children Michaela and Steven. I am currently divorced. I own a production company called Sword of the Spirit Film & TV.
How long have you been in the movie world?
I started my film training in the 80s when I attended workshops etc., gave it up and then came back to it in 2000.
Tell us how you came into movie production.
I had always wanted to do film production more of the behind the scenes work i.e. crew, rather than on screen acting, and I just attended workshops and took it from there.
How long did it take you to create the movie and why a romantic comedy?
I had actually been thinking of creating CASHBACK from the 90s whilst I was not doing films, in fact, I recall when I went to visit my uncle who was living in the States in the 90s, I told him that I was working on something big. Writing Cashback, I started to write it in 2001 and completed first proper draft in 2002 August. I had to complete it as I had contracted chicken pox from the kids in my sons’ nursery, we were quarantined
Tell us your first reaction when you saw your movie on the screen which was produced without your consent.
I actually saw it on the internet, it was surreal, I honestly thought that I had done it and forgotten about doing it? Really I said to my son I don’t remember making my film yet.
When you distributed your work to various companies, what was your motive?
In the film industry, as a writer when you write you either write with the intention to produce by YOURSELF or have someone buy it and produce it. The motivation was to get the film bought, produced. Like any goods, once you manufacture it you then have to go and sell it and make your money. Unfortunately, though it is at this stage that many wolves lurk. Some production companies and studios are unscrupulous and steal your screenplay.
Tell us why it took you so long before you filed for claim.
I had no money to file it, my ex-husband did not help, the ministry that I was with did not step up to the plate although they apologized afterwards, and I did not want to do it as a litigant claimant in person, but I had to do so in the end.
When you were still fighting for claim from the 1st defendant, you came across yet another movie, a copyright production of your movie by the 2nd Defendant, tell us how you feel about this new development.
It made me surer that it was my work that they had infringed in CASHBACK, as she took the screenplay and made two films from the one of my works. Quite clever, if God was in the business of theft, she made a secular film CASHBACK and then a gospel one OH HAPPY DAY, released CASHBACK in the U.K but made OH HAPPY DAY a Danish release only. We didn’t see the Danish Oh Happy Day until AFTER the CASHBACK case had nearly concluded which means that it was even only given the release date of after the court case. I am not bitter against her, as the Word said that we are not to despise the thief, when they are found they will pay back seven times what they stole. So in this day and age of economic collapse I can rest assured that through her theft my monies are safe (laughs).
Tell us, did you first confront the 1st Defendant before filing for claim in the court?
Yes I did as I was advised by the lawyer. I first issued a 28 days objection notice called a Cease and Desist in the States, in which the infringer has a specified timeline to stop infringing your work and reply back.
What’s the name of the attorney representing you in this case and how competent is he?
I was litigant Claimant in person, I represented myself. And I was very competent (laughs). No seriously I had a lot of support in the African American Creative Group, a bunch of African Americans who are based in the States who have all suffered copyright infringement against their works. The group then consisted of Gregory L Hudson, (Original creator of No Harm no Foul) which was made into Life film with Eddie Murphy, Troy Walker (original Creator of Spongebob Square pants), Sophia Stewart (the original Creator of the Matrix films), Darry L Lassiter, Carla Boone (a musician), Sean Dix (a Dentist who invented the Floss ring) sorry if I have missed anyone out. As a Litigant claimant in person I saw things that my lawyer would not have seen or would have kept quiet about. For instance one of the lower judges told the defendants lawyer NOT to comply with the order of the Court. True. So much for Justice being better in the West!!
Is this your first project, if yes what’s the name and what year.
Cashback (Cashback paper or plastic) is my first screenplay; I did do a short film which was presented to the class at Goldsmiths College where I further developed the film in 2003.
Do you have any new projects at the moment?
I have just finished writing a Yoruba Nolly flick called Funke ni Oruko awan Obinrin, and had several meetings with Oga Bello when he was in London, the project is on hold due to lack of funding. I have done several short films and documentaries – It was further enacted – which examines the protestants view point that the Pope is the anti-Christ, I have written several other screenplays – DBW, God Created them Male & Female, The Anointed Ones, LEAFLETS and Moll Flanders – an adaptation of the novel by Dafoe.
How do you intend to get your claims if the 1st defendant denies your claim, are you going to give up or keep fighting?
She is going to deny it, and even if she doesn’t the British courts will not do justice as they currently have in operation SECTION 19 C of the Race Relations Amendment ACT 2000, which states that ANY JUDGE IN ANY COURT CAN DISCRIMINATE AGAINST BLACKS AND ETHINC MINORITIES IN A COURT OF LAW, that was what they did with CASHBACK, the judge said to me ‘Miss Obisanya you won but I can’t allow it’. What do you do when you hear something like that? If I had not been a strong Christian one would have thought that it was one of ones ‘frenemies’ (an enemy pretending to be a friend) that has done jealousy juju. But because one is a strong Christian and that I even am a lobbyist and was in the courts I know that its white people that has the problem.
Do you believe the court will pass a judgment in your favour without being prejudiced?
I don’t think that they will. I seriously am not sure that they are capable and I say it as a Christian, as white people are the descendants of DAN and the Tribe of Dan and we see that in Revelations that they did not make it in of all the Tribes that made it in. But if I have to use my faith that well, with man it’s impossible, but with GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE then I stand on that.
Tell us how much claim are you asking of in -terms of percentage?
For the CASHBACK case I initially sued for £16million but now it is £244 million for justice delayed, God says we can ask Him to recompense 7 times what was stolen. And for CASHBACK v Oh Happy Day another £244 million and extras as they deliberately made in bankrupt in 2009 because as a bankrupt you can’t pursue any claim in the British courts unless your creditors want to, and surprisingly the defendants (due to my not paying any court costs) became the only creditors. IT WAS NOT EXACTLY in their interest for me to pursue them in order to pay them if you know what I mean especially as they stole the flipping work.
Are you going to file a copyright violation claim on the 2nd Defendant?
In the Oh Happy Day Claim you mean? I might do that in Denmark. There is no justice in British courts, na kangaroo courts if you are black.
Is it really true that you are bankrupt as declared by the court?
Yes the defendants made me bankrupt when I was pursuing the claims in the High court. As a bankrupt you can’t pursue any case in court unless the creditor wants you to pursue it, and guess what, they were the only creditor. They were not exactly going to let me pursue them for OH HAPPY DAY in order to pay a court cost for CASHBACK exposing their crime. BLACKS suffer more bankruptcy than whites in Britain; it is not a thing of shame true. We are denied justice and it is not a surprise that you find more blacks on the scrap heap than whites, when we find whites we think what is their excuse, the system is designed for them.
Are you married or seeing someone?
I am divorced but believe that I can’t remarry until my ex has passed as it would be adultery as stated in the Scriptures (Mathew 5v32 KJV, Luke 16:18, Mark 10 v1-12), I don’t want to make any new husband an adulterer in the eyes of God. I am seeing several guys though as friends, they often get frustrated when we can’t take the relationship to another level.
Tell us if you would still do business with the 1st defendant all things being equal in the future, if yes or no, why?
Yes I would as the Bible says that we must not be vexed with a thief, (Proverbs 5v30-31) in Yoruba ‘ma bi nu si. And mi o de binu (I am not vexed or annoyed), in fact the court case revealed things to me more about a Britain that I thought I knew but did not know. I like the other mumu Nigerian thought that British courts did justice for blacks at least for British blacks, but I found that there was no benefit in being Black British.
Do you have any regret so far?
None only that I had more money to look after my kids and do my lobbying.
What do you think will be the stance of the court on this case?
Really, same as before, racist and unjust, I have no hope in it and it is bad as Britain unlike the rest of the countries of the world operates in the name of Jesus, the Head of Britain – the Queen is also the Head of the Anglican Church. Did Jesus discriminate against blacks and ethnic minorities? No. In fact, He grafted in the Heathens the Scriptures beforehand saw that God would justify the Heathen and so preached the Gospel unto Father Abraham this work Jesus did for us. And it is just a disgrace and a great shame that the only court in the World that says it’s Christian is one that violates Blacks’ Human Rights (right to a fair trial without discrimination).
What is the court response to the case at the moment?
Well having sent in a request for judgment last month, as the defendant did not even reply, she barred my email from her email box so that the thing bounced back and then I had to quickly fax it…which as you know means that I have won. ..When I rang in today they said that I need to resubmit the request for Judgment. I am not holding my breath though, all jealousing frenemies relax we are yet there, when we are there you can playa hate.
Dear readers this interview was published in nollywoodgossip magazine site and european based magazine. Please read through and comment on it, thanks.
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