In collaboration with its Ghanaian affiliate Multi Debrich Group Ltd, the international digital rights watchdog OFM Computer World Europe has initiated a significant campaign against Boomplay, one of Africa’s top music streaming services, for allegedly permitting and making money off of the illegal uploading of gospel songs by users going by the names “Ethel” and “Ayaya.”
Five Ghanaian gospel singers—Lady Mercy, Aunty Becky, Joycelyn Oduro, Janny, and Sarah—originally recorded the songs in question, “Jama Praise” and “The Birth of Jesus Christ,” as cover medleys, according to analysts on DebrichGroup.com.
FM Computer World’s investigation, however, found that the two Boomplay users are not affiliated with the performing group and have been obtaining digital royalties and money from downloads, streams, and copyright claims on social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Illegal Boomplay Monetisation and Unauthorised Uploads
According to a digital investigation by OFM Computer World Europe, the Ghanaian gospel group’s cover collections “Jama Praise” and “The Birth of Jesus Christ” were posted to Boomplay by artists “Ethel” and “Ayaya”, respectively.
Without a licence agreement or consent from the original song composers or artists, these uploads were made profitable. Even more concerning is the fact that Boomplay’s content system allegedly filed copyright claims on TikTok and other social media platforms, sending money to these unapproved uploaders while the real artists go unnoticed and unpaid.
A representative for OFM Computer World Europe stated, “This is an unacceptable abuse of intellectual property.”
“Boomplay’s system has allowed artists like Ethel and Ayaya to illegally profit from stuff they did not generate by neglecting to verify content ownership.”
Boomplay Receives a Two-Week Legal Notice
In retaliation, FM Computer World Europe and Multi Debrich Group Ltd Ghana have formally given Boomplay a 14-day legal deadline to:
Take down any song that “Ethel” and “Ayaya” uploaded that violates the rights of other gospel singers from Ghana.
Prohibit these accounts from ever posting any more music.
Stop all revenue generation and royalties associated with the songs “The Birth of Jesus Christ” and “Jama Praise.”
Remove all copyright assertions linked to these titles from YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
To make sure that only permitted rights holders can profit from material, review and update its upload verification mechanism.
Legal action will be taken against international organisations, such as the Ghana Copyright Office, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), if nothing is done within the allotted two weeks.
OFM Computer World’s Results: Boomplay’s Growing Issue
This recent investigation report shows that Boomplay’s Ghanaian content system mutes songs longer than one minute when uploaded by rightful performers, while unauthorised versions remain fully playable and monetised.
Such practices suggest algorithmic manipulation or system bias, where the legitimate uploaders, including the Ghanaian gospel singers, are blocked from full streaming access while infringing versions continue to generate income.
This is what the team at OFM Computer World called “illegal money creation disguised as content management.”
The group has cautioned that this harms African digital music platforms’ reputation internationally in addition to breaking international copyright regulations.
About the Artists and Their Work
The five Ghanaian gospel singers are Lady Mercy, Aunty Becky, Joycelyn Oduro, Janny, and Sarah, known for producing long-form gospel medleys that creatively reinterpret traditional songs with new instrumentals and arrangements.
Their 14-minute worship album, “Jama Praise,” which was recorded as a cover project, honours Ghanaian gospel customs. The vocalists have never given their consent for any third party to post their material, and neither Boomplay nor the participating musicians have ever paid them.
Advocates for Digital Rights: OFM Computer World Europe & Multi Debrich Group Ltd, Ghana
Dedicated to safeguarding online intellectual property, OFM Computer World Europe (D-U-N-S® 566452769) is a technology and digital rights organisation with headquarters in Europe. The business has a proven track record of supporting music copyright; it was a party to the Kwame Mickey vs. Team Eternity Ghana copyright awareness lawsuit in the past.
Multi Debrich Group Ltd Ghana (D-U-N-S® 850942768), its Ghanaian affiliate, provides cutting-edge services and solutions in a variety of industries, such as information technology, education, multimedia, entertainment, real estate, transportation, agribusiness, and legal consulting for African content producers and creators.
The two groups work together to combat digital exploitation and guarantee equitable remuneration for African musicians in the international music industry.
Boomplay’s Obligation and the Demand for Reform
Boomplay, a well-known music streaming service, is required by law and morality to confirm ownership before making money off of any uploaded work, according to the complaint.
Boomplay runs the risk of damaging the reputation of its platform and breaking international copyright treaties as well as Ghana’s Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690), by permitting unauthorised uploads from users like “Ethel” and “Ayaya”.
The official statement from OFM Computer World ends:
Boomplay needs to clean up its system. It should never be profitable for artists who did not write, perform, or create a song.
Justice is due to Ghanaian gospel musicians, and this illicit monetisation must end right away.
Ghanaian gospel singers deserve justice—and this illegal monetisation must stop immediately.”
OFM Computer World Europe and Multi Debrich Group Ltd Ghana’s continuous study clarifies a much more significant problem affecting digital music in Africa: unapproved uploads, muted content, and misdirected revenues.
On streaming services like Boomplay, the cases of “Jama Praise” and “The Birth of Jesus Christ” demonstrate the pressing need for more stringent verification, open monetisation, and equitable artist protection.
One thing is evident as the world focuses on this emerging narrative: African artists must now regain control over their creative output, financial gain, and recognition.
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