It’s official, Nigeria is now shooting documentaries with blindfolds. Because apparently, if you’re telling a true story that everyone already knows, you still need the villain’s blessing before you can press “record.” Or else, bam! N500 million for damages.
Chude Jideonwo, one of the few Nigerians still brave enough to put out factual content, just got slammed with a N500 million judgement. Why? Because he dared to ask, “Is It Your Money?” in a four-part documentary series on Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former petroleum minister and current international fugitive.
What Happened to Fair Hearing? Or Has Audi Alteram Partem Gone on Vacation?
This ruling smells fishy. According to Chude’s team, they were never served court papers. Imagine producing a major documentary across three countries, hiring top-tier legal teams, and yet someone quietly sues you in their home state and wins half a billion naira without your knowledge. Nigeria, how far?
Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) is crystal clear: “In the determination of his civil rights and obligations… a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time.” Did the Bayelsa High Court forget that?
And it’s not like the rules aren’t written down. Let’s flip to the Bayelsa State High Court Civil Procedure Rules:
- Order 3 Rule 2 demands proper procedure when suing for defamation, including submitting witness lists, sworn statements, documents, etc.
- Order 6 Rule 1 & 2 states that the originating process must be signed, stamped, and served on all parties
So again, we ask: if Chude and his team were never served, how did this case proceed?
Must Public Figures Approve Documentaries About Them?
This ruling also raises an awkward legal question: must you get someone’s consent to film a documentary about them? The answer is no, especially if the person is a public figure and the film is factual.
Documentaries, especially those concerning public interest and already reported matters, fall under the protection of freedom of expression and the press. As long as what is being said is based on verified facts, and the content is not malicious, there’s no requirement for permission.
Chude did his due diligence. He got lawyers from Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie and Abraham, Thompsons & Co. to vet every scene, line, and frame. This wasn’t some rushed campus project. It was funded by the MacArthur Foundation, shot in 8 cities across 3 countries, and years of research backed it up.
Movie Insurance: The New Lifeline
This is where we must talk about movie insurance. In saner countries, media creators protect themselves from legal storms through errors and omissions (E&O) insurance. This covers claims related to defamation, invasion of privacy, and copyright infringement. This sort of coverage ensures that a documentary like Is It Your Money? would’ve been cushioned against such a ruling.
You submit your script or documentary to a legal team for review. They flag potential legal red zones. Then you purchase a policy, either per project or annually. The policy covers legal fees, settlements, and other costs. International firms like Hiscox and Media Insurance Brokers offer such services. In Nigeria, you may need to partner with legal firms that have international reach or consult insurance companies willing to underwrite such niche policies. It may cost money, but not having it could cost your career.
If This Ruling Stands, Every Documentary Is at Risk
If the ruling is indeed true and stands, this is not just about Chude or Diezani. It is an attack on the very soul of investigative storytelling in Nigeria. It sends a loud, dangerous message: if you dare to speak truth to power, power will go to court in their home state, skip due process, and slap you with a fine big enough to buy a mansion in Banana Island.
And the rest of us? We can go cry.
Dear creatives, especially those of you who dare to tell the truth in this country: Protect yourselves. Get lawyers. Get insured. And if they sue you in their hometown, sue them back in Abuja.
And until we confirm the full details, all we can say is: this better be fake news. Because if not, Nigeria just rewrote the rules of justice, and not in a good way.
