The ongoing Ratel controversy has taken a new turn, and fresh details now paint a very different picture from earlier assumptions.
The issue started when Blord reportedly launched an app named “Ratel” and announced that he had registered the name as a trademark, publicly suggesting that VeryDarkMan (VDM), who popularized the name, had failed to protect it legally. Blord went further to imply that VDM could no longer use the name commercially.
However, according to VeryDarkMan, that narrative is far from the truth.
VDM has now revealed that he had already registered the “Ratel” trademark earlier, long before Blord’s move although only under limited trademark classes at the time. What Blord allegedly did not understand is that trademarks operate under 45 different classes, each covering different categories of business and commercial use.
While Blord reportedly registered just one trademark class one that VDM claims is not even relevant to the core brand usage VDM says he has since gone ahead to register multiple, essential trademark classes connected to the Ratel name, effectively strengthening his legal ownership.
In a recent statement, VeryDarkMan claimed that the controversy unexpectedly worked in his favor, saying he secured ₦300 million in business backing following the publicity around the Ratel name. According to him, the situation didn’t damage his brand it rebranded and elevated it.
VDM also stated that he never started a company or collected money using the Ratel name before putting legal structures in place, dismissing claims of impropriety. Instead, he believes the public dispute gave Ratel even more visibility, indirectly turning Blord into what he described as an “unintentional ambassador” for the brand.
More importantly, VDM insists that even if Blord had registered the name earlier, trademark law still provides legal pathways for reclaiming a brand when you can prove prior use, public recognition, and ownership of goodwill especially when the name was made popular by you.
In the end, what initially looked like a clean business takeover now appears far more complex.
This situation highlights a key lesson many people overlook:
Trademark registration is not just about registering a name it’s about understanding the right classes, timing, and strategy.
What seemed like a smart power move may have been based on incomplete knowledge. And if VDM’s claims are accurate, the Ratel brand story is far from over.
One thing is clear:
This is no longer just a street vs business argument it’s a legal and strategic branding battle, and the final outcome will depend on documentation, classes, and proof, not noise online.
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