COSON Digital Music Summit Takes Off In Grand Style

The two-day Nigerian Digital Music Summit took off in grand style at Eko Convention Center, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, this Monday September 28, 2015.

Many of the gurus of the Nigerian music industry and experts from around the world stormed the venue for the historic event. Among those present were Evangelist Dr. Ebenezer Obey, Mr. Raw, Kofi, Charles Granville, Olu Maintain, Baba Dee Fassasi, Essence, Mode nine, DJ Gosporella, King Waleman, Azeezat Allen, Sk Sensation, Daddy Fresh, Chief Tony Okoroji, Mr. Afam Ezekude, Director General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Mr. JohnKennedy Chime, representative of Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),  Mr. Yunusa Labaran, Project Coordinator Growth and Employment Projects (GEM), Mr. Efe Omorogbe, CEO Now Muzik, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha, Partner, Jackson Etti & Edu Law Firm, Mr. Simon Aderinola, COO BeyondBranches, Mr. Audu Maikori, President, Chocolate City Group, Ms. Nneka Anyina, Director VAS Services, Hauwei, Mr. Joel Ajayi, Chairman, Music Label Owners Association of Nigeria (MULOAN), Hon. John Udegbunam, Engr. Sharon Wilson, President, Music Producers & Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN), Mr. Femi Fajolu, Managing Partner, Chief G. O. Sodipo & Co., Mr. Lawrence Wilbert, CEO Agilent Wireless, Mr. Afam Nwokedi, Managing Partner, Still Waters Law Firm, Prof. Egerton Uviegahara, Mrs. Inger Elise Mey, Director of Online Media, Broadcast and International Licensing at TONO, Mrs. Tarja Koskinen-Olsson, International Adviser at Olsson & Koskinen Consulting, Mr. Robert Hooijer, International consultant on collective management of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights, Ms. Nothando Migogo, CEO, CAPASSO amongst others.

The red carpet was practically on fire as camera lights flashed from all corners to capture gaily dressed stars and industry experts who turned out for a very defining moment in the Nigerian music industry.

The summit which is borne out of the obvious need to set in place the proper framework for the exploitation of music in the digital space, set in motion the desired change the industry seeks.

In his address, Mr. Afam Ezekude, Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) said, “It is important for users of creative contents including telecom companies to leverage on the facilities of our copyright system to ensure the sustenance of seamless availability of creative content to enhance their value added services. Use of creative content should be on the basis of licenses legitimately issued by those who own rights to the creative content

“Most operators appear not to be engaging the right platforms to secure appropriate licenses for creative contents deployed on some networks. Consequently, we are continually witnessing some avoidable copyright disputes, which do not only impact negatively on the image of the service providers, but also distract authors from pursuing their creative endeavours”

“The Copyright Act has provided for collective management of rights, which is globally acknowledged as the best mechanism for licensing of content where the use of such content has assumed a certain anonymous scale making it difficult for users to trace and approach individual right owners for separate licenses”.

Speaking on the summit, Chief Tony Okoroji, Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) said, “This summit is not meant to be a talk shop. It is a historic opportunity to agree on how the Nigerian music industry will move forward in a new era so that everybody’s interest is protected and the industry can grow and meet its true potentials. It may need to be repeated that if the industry does not agree on how to move forward, everyone will move to trenches and just fight it out

“Following the summit, it is envisaged that there will be an industry monitoring committee to ensure that the players are complying with the new rules and where there is a need for legislation to ensure compliance, the right steps are taken to ensure that such legislation is passed”.

Also speaking, Mr. Yunusa Labaran, Project Coordinator, GEM said, “The reason GEM chose to sponsor this summit is because we must support the music industry to grow and to pay. Oil which has been the mainstay of our economy has been dwindling and there is a need to diversify to strengthen our economy. The outcome of this summit will help us to set up an intervention to help the industry grow and create employment for the growth of the Nigerian economy”. 

The theme of the Nigerian Digital Music Summit is “Establishing the Basic Rules of Engagement in the Digital Environment” and is organized by the COSON in collaboration with The World Bank, Growth and Employment Projects (GEM), UKAid and Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.