Tamale NGO sues UDS over alleged intellectual property theft of cultural dance group

A Tamale-based non-governmental organization, the Tudu Center for Leadership and Development, has dragged the University for Development Studies (UDS) to the High Court over claims that the university has unlawfully taken credit for its cultural initiative, the Dance for Education Group.

In its lawsuit, the NGO accuses UDS of "reverse passing off"—falsely presenting the Dance for Education Group as the university’s own “UDS Dance Ensemble” in public appearances and communications, despite the group having been founded and developed independently by the Tudu Center.

The Dance for Education Group was launched by the NGO in 2022 as a creative platform to engage young people in Choggu and Wurishe communities through cultural dance while promoting education awareness. The troupe, now made up of approximately 40 trained performers, has earned regional recognition for its vibrant performances at public events, including university functions.

According to court documents, the controversy began in February 2024 when the UDS Department of Theatre and Performing Arts invited the group to perform at an official university event. Following the performance, the NGO claims the university began referring to the dancers as the “UDS Dance Ensemble,” effectively rebranding the group without consent.

The Tudu Center says this rebranding was deliberate and misleading, designed to exploit the goodwill and reputation the group had built over two years of consistent training and public engagements. The organization alleges that this misrepresentation has damaged its credibility and resulted in financial losses.

After raising concerns with UDS, the NGO claims the head of the Theatre and Performing Arts Department admitted to the error and offered an apology. A proposed partnership via a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was discussed, and the Tudu Center submitted a draft on September 3, 2024. However, the university allegedly failed to finalize or sign the agreement.

Despite the lack of a formal partnership, the NGO contends that UDS continued to engage members of the dance group under the university’s name. The university is also accused of outsourcing performances to other institutions using the “UDS Dance Ensemble” label, again without the NGO’s knowledge or approval.

In its legal filing, the Tudu Center is asking the court to officially recognize the group as its intellectual property and to rule that UDS committed reverse passing off. It seeks a perpetual injunction preventing the university or its representatives from presenting the group as part of the institution.

The NGO is also demanding that UDS issue a public apology—broadcast on three radio stations of the plaintiff’s choosing and published across all university social media platforms. Additionally, it is requesting damages totaling GH¢2 million for reputational harm, loss of income, and exemplary damages, along with legal costs.

The university has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit.