A Nigerians business man and owner of Nigrshine Industry Limited which deals in electric bulbs has accused a Chinese company based in Nigeria Aokete Lightening Electronics of attempts to run it out the country’s market.
A press release circulated to the media by the Managing Director of Nigrshine Industry Limited, accused the Chinese company of forgeries which were carried out by the said company with the connivance of bad eggs at Trademarks, Patents & Designs office of Federal Ministry ofTrade and Industries.
Aokete, a company owned by a Chinese nationale, Chen Xiao Ming the management of Nigrshine said has over the years tried to run it out of the Nigerian market and has done so in connivance with several
authorities of the government, having successfully cloned certificates.
The press release circulated to journalists in Awka stated that trouble started for Nigrshine in April 2014, when Aokete management led by Elochukwu Aganama set up and arrested Ugo Sango the managing
director of Nigrshine Industry Limited through a team of police men with another member of the company for violating Aokete’s trademark ‘AKT’.
The release said, “When our Managing director was eventually released, he was handed over a letter requesting him to report to Presidential Committee on Trade Malpractice for forgery, and when he
complied, he was told that AOKETE had petitioned against them.
“Our representatives explained to the Committee that Aokete was not the owner, user or manufacturer of AKT Lighting spiral bulb as they claimed nor the registered proprietor of AKT trademark allegedly
registered in class 11 as RTM No. 96385 in respect to AKT Lighting bulb.
“He maintained that the owners or manufacturers of the ‘AKT Lighting energy bulb is Zhongshan AKT Lighting Electrical Co LTD which is a company based in China. People only import the product in Nigeria. It is also obvious that Zhongshan AKT Lighting Electrical Co Ltd in China is not a director or a shareholder in Aokete Lighting Electronics Industries Ltd in Nigeria. The particulars of directors and share holders of Aokete Lighting Electronics Industries Ltd filed at Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja confirm this position.”
The press release which was attached with letters from the Trade Mark office Abuja and The presidential committee on Trade Malpractices to show the findings of the investigations carried out revealed that the 4 Trademark certificate Numbers RTM 96385, RTM 99716, RTM 99717 and RTM 99718 purportedly assigned to AKT in Class 11 or 16 could not be found in any volume of trademark register maintained by the trademark office within the corresponding period.
The company called on The Registrar, Trademarks, Patents & Designs Federal Ministry of Trade and Industries to sanction Aokete Lighting Electronics Industries Ltd for violating the provisions of Trade Mark Act. It also maintained that foreign companies like Aokete always seek to grow at the expense of indigenous ones.
It said, “The question remains that if it is a Nigerian or Nigerian company that is involved in this kind of offence as suggested in China what would be his fate by now. It is therefore not surprising why
these foreigners involve in impunity and treat our law with scorn,” the release stated.
Attempts by our correspondent to reach the managing director of Aokete industry for reaction to the allegations raised was not successful as his telephone line remained unreachable.
