COSON To Intensify Litigation Against Copyright Infringers In Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti And Kwara States

Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has elected to star serious litigation against copyright infringers and royalty defaulters in Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Kwara States of Nigeria. This was one of the key resolutions at the COSON Stakeholder’s forum which took place in majestic style on Thursday September 8, 2016 at the Kakanfo Conference Centre, in Ibadan, Oyo State with key music industry players from the South Western States such as Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Kwara States in attendance.

COSON top echelon members

Also present at the historic Forum was the representative of Governor Abiola Ajimobi the Oyo State Governor, in the person of the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Culture, Mr. Toye Arulogun.

 Among the veterans and top music figures of the music industry who were live in Ibadan for the forum were the likes of GOMAN President, Dr Funmi Aragbaye; Afro Juju Pioneer, Sir Shina Peters, Dancehall Star, Baba Dee Fasasi, Queen of love Azeezat Allen; Comedian cum singer, Koffi ‘tha guru’ Idowu Noel; Fuji Music Maestro, Alhaji Sikiru ‘S.K’ Agboola; and Ace Gospel Music Artiste, Lady Evangelist Bola Are. 

Also present were Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde, Special Adviser to the Oyo State Governor on Entertainment; Pastor Olusoji Adedeji who represented the Olubadan of Ibadan; members of Music Label Owners and Recording Industries Association of Nigeria (MORAN), Members of the Association of DJ’s, several broadcasters and broadcasting stations, with several Hotel representatives and music users across the South West and Kwara State.

While welcoming participants to the forum, celebrated former President of PMAN, Intellectual Property activist and Chairman of the COSON Board, Chief Tony Okoroji, thanked the people and government of Oyo State for the warm welcome accorded the COSON team in Ibadan. He specifically thanked the Olubadan of Ibadan, His Royal Majesty, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji for the great reception accorded the COSON team in his palace. He also thanked the renowned singer, Yinka Ayefele who was the first to welcome the team to the ancient city.  Chief Okoroji said that the forum had been organized so that participants in the music industry from the South West and Kwara State can interact, have an open discussion on the copyright issues in the country and plot strategies for a better economy for creative people in Nigeria.

The COSON Chair repeated his call for an intellectual property revolution in Nigeria so that the creative, cultural and inventive capacity of the Nigerian people can be fired up for a new knowledge economy, based on Nigeria’s well known ingenuity. He further stated that it was time the nation switched its attention from oil and gas and instead focused on the creative sector where according to him, the country has substantial comparative advantage. He noted that most of the world’s richest economies today have their foundation in knowledge, creativity and intellectual property which Nigeria is endowed with.

Speaking at the forum, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture & Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun commended COSON for the time, efforts and resources deployed towards the forum. Mr. Arulogun also encouraged COSON to intensify the efforts as wider awareness is needed to reach the nooks and crannies of the state and Nigeria at large.

The Honorable Commissioner expressed support for COSON, stating that the government would help in the fight against copyright infringement in the state. Mr. Toye Arulogun also advised COSON to partner with Government at the Federal, State and Local levels to ensure full compliance with the payment of royalties and enforcement of the law on defaulters.

After the boisterous interactive session, the forum resolved that unrelenting legal action be taken to ensure that all recalcitrant organizations who deploy music in their businesses in Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Kwara States of Nigeria without any copyright license, including broadcasting stations, hotels, nightclubs, restaurants, transport companies, product promoters, etc. are taught a lesson and forced to obtain music copyright licenses from COSON and pay necessary royalties to ensure that COSON members in these states get commensurate income from the exploitation of their works.

It was also resolved that necessary action be taken to ensure that the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari gives appropriate directives to implement the resolutions taken on September 1 which form the ‘No Music Day’ 2016 demands, including the implementation of the Private Copy Levy Scheme, so as to kick start the process of providing the right environment for the creation of investments, jobs and growth in the Nigerian economy.

Speaking after the forum, COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji said, “The COSON Stakeholders’ Forum in Ibadan was a huge success. The reception of the Oyo people, the participation and response were simply overwhelming. We look forward to more visits to this state as was clamored for during the forum’’

Following the Forum, the COSON team was at the University of Ibadan were a historic open forum was held with the students and lecturers.

Also on the COSON team to Ibadan were Board members, Hon John Ewelukwa Udegbunam and Mr. Joel Ajayi.

…Says No Hiding Place For TELCOS As Regards Copyright Infringement

Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria, Chief Tony Okoroji, has said that there will be no hiding place for telecommunication companies operating in Nigeria who do not respect the intellectual property rights of creative people whose works these companies exploit for profit.

Speaking at the COSON Stakeholders’ Forum which took place in Ibadan on September 8, 2016, Chief Okoroji said, ‘’If the ‘telcos’ think we will allow them have a copyright safe haven in Nigeria, they are wrong; if the telcos think we will get tired of pressuring them to do the right thing, they are very wrong; If the ‘telcos’ believe that we will ever stop asking them to give to Peter what belongs to Peter, they are absolutely wrong’’  

According to the former president of PMAN, in the digital age, the telecommunication companies have become first line players in the distribution of music. He insisted that it will be suicidal for the music industry not to insist that these companies play within the rules and in accordance with the law.

Chief Okoroji said that since COSON decided to take to court the matter of the horrendous copyright infringement engaged in by some of the telecommunication companies, the companies have resorted to ‘cheap and unimpressive blackmail and divide and rule tactics’.

A visibly angry Okoroji said to the forum, ‘’Some of the ‘telcos’ have begun to issue press releases and launch insidious campaigns suggesting to our stakeholders that COSON is working against the interest of its members. They are carrying on a whispering campaign telling Nigerian musicians that by upholding their rights and exposing the massive injury being done to them, COSON is endangering their careers. They are even trying to give the impression that by appointing a few Nigerian artistes as their ‘brand ambassadors’, the music industry should kneel down and grovel to them when these companies go home with about 70% of the income from every piece of music they sell while the artistes, the record labels, the VAS companies fight over a mere 30% of the money.  The composers and publishers who create the music do not even get one naira as these companies rob Peter to pay Paul. And we are supposed to keep quiet? They want to turn us into slaves in our land? God forbid!   

Chief Okoroji went on to say, ‘’Somebody should tell these companies that we are committed to this fight and committed to a new Nigerian economy based on the respect for the rights of creative people. We want the telecommunication companies to thrive in Nigeria but they cannot thrive by stealing the intellectual property of Nigerians. Rather than resolve the issues and work with us in a meaningful way that can ensure the sustained growth of the Nigerian economy, they want to play ‘Super man’ with the money they collect from Nigerian subscribers some of who are the same creative people they are stealing from. I don’t believe they know us. We have notified the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigerian Copyright Commission. We have informed President Muhammad Buhari. We will take on these companies whichever way they want it and for as long as they want it’’.

Speaking on the side lines of the forum, frontline singer, Azeezat Allen, said, ‘’You can see how angry the chairman is. Maybe the telecom companies should consult the broadcast industry and ask them how their threat of banning the music of COSON members from the airwaves worked out. Everyone will recall that the matter even went to the courts and to the National Assembly but at the end of the day, the broadcast industry had to sit down and negotiate with COSON and an agreement was reached. That was exactly the case with the hotel industry too. What they may not know is that Chief Okoroji, the chairman of COSON is one of the authors of the Nigerian Copyright Law. He knows the law like the back of his hands and probably no one in Nigeria understands its application more than he does. He has written extensively on the subject and his books are being applied by lawyers and judges. He teaches the subject around the world. These telecom companies might get some SAN and pay him some big money but at the end of the day, they will do what they have to do. Anyone who knows Okoroji will tell you that he does not start something and not finish it. Is that the man they want to take on? I am sorry for them.’’