Rockson Igelige, IPR pioneer and WIPO NGO founder, dies after heart attack
Rockson A. Igelige, Esq., the pioneering intellectual property lawyer who founded Nigeria's first WIPO-accredited NGO, died of a heart attack on Friday morning, 21 August 2026. He was found in his bedroom with the phone charger still in his hand, apparently while plugging or unplugging his device.
Igelige's passion for IPR began long before the field gained traction in Nigeria; he earned a Master's from the University of Westminster and later established Friends of the Creator (Artistic) Foundation, which became the sole Nigerian NGO accredited by the World Intellectual Property Organisation. As its founding Executive Director, he worked tirelessly to popularise intellectual property rights beyond the courtroom through talks, articles, and conferences.
His legal career was marked by landmark copyright victories, including a January 2026 judgement for Veno Marioghae-Mbanefo against Airtel over the song "Nigeria Go Survive." A longtime partner at Remedium Law Partners, he also served as a local government councillor, PDP member, and adviser on political campaigns across party lines, always stressing competence over partisanship.
Colleagues remember him as strong-willed, forthright, and deeply committed to the Niger Delta's cause, yet indifferent to material wealth. His death ends a life devoted to protecting creators' rights and mentoring the next generation of IPR advocates in Nigeria.