By Dr. Peregrino Brimah
Linda Ikeji affects us all; just like the Premier league (hope that’s how it’s spelt), enough Nigerians are engaged in the LIB for those who may not, to know and appreciate that being the #2 indigenous website in Nigeria – second to Nairaland only – and the #1 news site and #1 African indigenous personality blog in history, our friends are most likely fans and addicts of hers and thus it serves as a primary means by which they are informed and we are influenced if we happen not to be readers.
The summary of the challenge that took her down (temporarily) is this tweet by a certain figure who suddenly appeared from obscurity.
“People still don’t get it, this Linda issue is not about credit, it is about seeking permission before usage. Plain and simple.”
The above comment was tweeted by Mr. Aye Dee on October 6th, two days after his twitter page came into existence (October 4th).
For the media publishing that the problem is Linda not giving him credit; you are wrong. Perhaps she has in the past been attacked for not giving credit, but not so in this case, at least according to the man at the helm of it. He wanted more from Linda. He wanted her to ask him first before using anything on his TL (Time Line). He can sue me now for posting this comment he made. Yes; that’s what he goes after.
It is a problem. Am I guilty of this type of “plagiarism?” yes I am. I have posted comments and pictures from people’s TL’s giving them credit but not asking them for permission first. Do I intend to start seeking permission first? H’ no. Sue me. I can’t waste the time emailing you and waiting for your response. By that time the news will be expired. It is simply ridiculous except where the person has explicitly stated that “no copying my stuff;” like Punch, shall I leave it be. Else I will copy and post in good faith and with credit given.
It can be recalled that recently, in December of 2013, PremiumTimes called out all major Nigerian dallies for plagiarism. All the flagship dailies were accused of publishing an Obasanjo letter that PremiumTimes claimed to have been the exclusive recipients of. [See: Obasanjo’s letter exposes Nigerian newspapers ethical flaws] These respected dailies did not even attribute the letter to PremiumTimes; but yet PremiumTimes was mature about it and only publicly embarrassed them for not crediting them with the story.
In the attack against the LIB, I see hate, envy, jealousy and desperation. I am not her greatest fan, but I call it as I see it. Her accuser claims to run “15 Past 8” media. He was unknown till this episode that has given him a taste of “fame.” His media is clearly the owner of “9jalife.com” another unknown website; as can be seen on both sites. On 9jalife.com there are tons of images; the images you and I know. Those images we pull off of websites, that have been pulled off of other websites so many times we don’t know who really owns them and never bothered to find out.
I challenge Mr. Aye Dee, owner of 9jalife.com to prove to us and some of us who own the tons of images on 9jalife.com that he requested and received the right to use the images.
You see, I would appreciate if a person of character brings a hard working Nigerian down; who clearly earned her respect and position; but when a desperado throws the tire to mob lynch a commoner, I am irritated. Be a man, throw tires on Goodluck, on Diezani. The crooks who have stolen our entire human rights and our billions (USD) for our survival. Sue the Nigerian government who have stolen our pride and global respect… who have stolen the lives of thousands of our loved ones and who have gotten our daughters abducted for 160 days to be raped by their “siblings” agents of their politician, clergy and military partners. But no; rather you hound a hard working respected Nigerian who earned most of what she has and claim to be Mr. Righteous? These are the Nigerians who the tires on Aluu4 because they made some errors, then walked to receive a bag of rice and voted-in indicted criminal Fayose.
Mr. Aye Dee whose real name is Mukhtar Dan’Iyan according to his PremiumTimes interview is also associated with a certain Emmanuel Efremov has been proven the registerer of the domain name, “LindaIkeji.net.” I checked the whois to confirm this. This is cybersquatting and a crime. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cybersquatting
After stuff got exposed, they quickly redirected Lindaikeji.net to Linda’s blog to cover their utility of her name over the years to make change.
In the PremiumTimes exclusive interview he was accorded for Lord knows what reasons, he admitted that the so-called Mr. Emmanuel Efremov was a director of his 15 Past 8 “media.” So Mr. Aye Dee’s directors are potentially criminal cybersquatters who live off of the good fortune of hard working people like the very Linda Ikeji; making earnings from advert clicks they get from people who miss their road while searching for the Linda they “hate’ so much’s blog.
I have a job for Mr. Aye Dee and Mr. Emmanuel Efremov. If you are not already working for the Presidency… I bet Goodluck Jonathan would be happy to hire them. They totally fit the Reuben Abati; Reno Omokri; Doyin Okupe profile of shameless, crooked and lying do-anything-to-make-it hounds.
Plagiarism and copyright theft is serious; but it is as serious to protect those accused as the accuser and deserves credible claims and claimants.
Now report me.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah; http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something] Email: [email protected] Twitter: @EveryNigerian