Entertainment and IP lawyer Rockson Igelige dies at 55

Image: Jamie Tubers / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Igelige was a frequent commentator on music and film copyright disputes as Nigeria's creative industries grew.

Jurisdiction NigeriaPractice Technology, Media and TelecomsSector Media and Entertainment

Rockson Igelige, a Nigerian entertainment and intellectual property lawyer, died at 55, filmmaker Zeb Ejiro and politician Omoyele Sowore announced on 21 August 2026. The cause of death was not disclosed.

Practice

Igelige advised artists, producers and media businesses and was a regular source of commentary on copyright disputes, including the controversy over skit maker Brain Jotter’s use of Mike Ejeagha’s song “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo”. Colleagues described him as one of the continent’s leading IP lawyers.

The practice area

Entertainment law has become one of the faster-growing areas of Nigerian practice, driven by streaming revenue, catalogue acquisitions and cross-border licensing. The Copyright Act 2022 introduced new rights, including the artist’s resale right and stronger online enforcement, and the Nigerian Copyright Commission is extending public performance licensing enforcement. Disputes over royalties between band members, labels and collecting societies are frequent. Specialists such as Igelige helped build the practice when few firms treated it as a commercial specialism.