A British-owned company, Timbuktu Global, is currently under fire on social media for trademarking the word “Yoruba” and opposing anyone else using it.
Timbuktu Global, an outerwear clothing retailer owned by two Brits, trademarked the word “Yoruba” in 2015, thereby making it impossible for anyone to use it, not even Yoruba people.
The company also claims that Timbukutu, a city in Mali, Africa, is a “fictional location which literally means ‘the middle of nowhere’, a location that has intrigued mankind for centuries.”
This was brought to light by CultureTree TV when they tried to trademark their programme that teaches children Yoruba Language, called “Yoruba Stars”.
CultureTree TV took to Twitter to share their discovery and call the attention of Nigerians to the company’s action, despite the fact that they don’t offer any services, products or have anything to do with Yoruba at all.
The discovery has sparked outrage on social media as Nigerians have joined CultureTree Tv to accuse the company of “robbery” and “cultural appropriation”.
Nigerians have also stormed the social media pages of TimbuktuGlobal to demand an explanation.
Below are tweets explaining the situation.
