Ghanaian music icon Michael Owusu Addo, widely recognised by his stage name Sarkodie, has initiated legal proceedings against Ecobank Ghana Limited, filing a suit at the Commercial Division of the High Court in Accra.
The case reportedly centres on claims that Ecobank used an individual bearing a striking resemblance to Sarkodie in a recent advertising campaign — without securing the rapper’s permission. This, according to the artist, constitutes a breach of his intellectual property rights and personal brand.
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Per legal documents circulating on social media, Sarkodie alleges that the unauthorised use of his likeness has resulted in both reputational damage and financial losses.
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Reliefs sought by the artist
Sarkodie is requesting general damages, a perpetual injunction to bar the bank from further using his image, and a directive for the removal of all related media, whether digital or print.
The controversial campaign in question, dubbed #ItsGivingScam, featured a Sarkodie lookalike who is reportedly signed to First Bank Ghana as a creative. The decision to cast the doppelgänger drew sharp criticism across social media platforms, with many questioning the bank’s approach.
Several social media users suggested that Ecobank could have used King Promise, an artiste already affiliated with the bank, instead of deploying a lookalike of another public figure.
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Pop culture journalist Olele Salvador was among the first to highlight the issue. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), he questioned the bank’s decision:
Dear @EcobankGhanaPLC, no vex, but whose idea was this? Who approved this? Why do you have a doppelgänger of a creative talent signed to @FirstBankGhana under a campaign #ItsGivingScam? Law X, please share how image rights are being infringed here. Wozgoyinonn here?
The unfolding legal drama raises broader questions around image rights, brand management, and corporate responsibility in the digital marketing space.
