COSON Celebrates 5th Anniversary With Pomp, Roll Of Honour Wednesday

Uzo Chikere

How time flies. Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has clocked five years since it was given approval to function as the sole collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings in Nigeria by the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), and plans have been concluded to roll out the drums for a huge celebration to the that effect.

The 5^thAnniversary Celebration of the approval is expected to attract a large crowd from the music industry that will congregate at the Banquet Hall of Lagos Airport Hotel Ikeja on Wednesday, May 20 to wine and dine and give praise to the Almighty for the survival and continuing strength of the organization that has become a reference point in the promotion and defense of intellectual property rights in Nigeria.

One on the highlights of the event will be the entering of the names of several distinguished Nigerians into the COSON Roll Of Honour in celebration of their various roles in the defence of the rights of creative people in the country. Leading the list of those to be so honoured, is Miliki King, Evangelist (Dr) Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, one time Chairman of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) and also Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Recording Industries (NARI). The name of multiple music award winner, 2 Face Idibia will also be entered into the Roll of Honour. To be also honoured is Sasakosa exponent, Prof (Sir) Victor Uwaifo.  

The event will climax with the decoration of the Director–General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Emeka Mba with the Copyright Medal of Honour.

The Copyright Medal of Honour is the highest recognition that the music industry can give to any individual in acknowledgment of that person’s significant contribution to the promotion and defence of the rights of creative people in Nigeria.

Mr. Mba was unanimously chosen by the COSON Board for the honour because of the historic role him and his commission played in resolving the over four-decade raging dispute between the music and broadcasting industries in Nigeria regarding the payment of music copyright royalties. He has been described by the COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji as ‘a square peg in a square hole’

The COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji has assured all the persons invited to the event that every detail has been taken care of to make sure that the 20^th of May is a day of tremendous joy to all who attend the COSON 5^thAnniversary Celebration and Roll of Honour Ceremony.

The COSON 5^th Anniversary Celebration and Roll of Honour Ceremony which begins at 3.00 pm will be preceded by the society’s 5^th Annual General meeting which takes place in the morning at the same venue.