BON Visits COSON, Pledges Co-operation

L-R Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji, COSON General Manager, Mrs. Azeezat Allen, COSON Director, Mr. John Momoh, BON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji,  COSON Chairman, Mr. Segun Olaleye, BON Secretary, Mr. Kenny Ogungbe, DAAR Communications and Mr. Efe Omorogbe, COSON Director at a crucial between BON and COSON which held at the COSON headquarters in Lagos on Monday, February 20, 2017.

The  Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), has expressed its commitment to cooperate with the Copyright Organisation of Nigeria (COSON) in ensuring that all broadcasting stations in Nigeria pay agreed music  copyright royalties in fulfilment of the obligations of the stations under the COSON/BON/IBAN/NBC/NCC Agreement of 2014.

Chairman of BON Mr.John Momoh, made the pledge while speaking at the COSON Headquarters in Ikeja Monday, February 20, 2017 during a crucial meeting between the BON leadership and that of COSON Mr. Momoh who is also the chairman of Channels Television arrived the COSON headquarters in the company of BON executive members including the organisation's Executive Secretary, Mr. Segun Olaleye and Mr. Kenny Ogungbe of DAAR Communications.

The COSON Representatives led by the society’s Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, had General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji and two other members of the COSON Board, Mr. Efe Omorogbe and Mrs. Azeezat Allen.

According to Mr. Momoh, every law in the land must be respected and there is no reason, any broadcast station in Nigeria should avoid payment of music copyright royalties as provided under the law. In his words “I pledge my commitment to work with COSON and to ensure full compliance from our members. This meeting is long in coming. We will meet with our members around the country. I am a stickler for the obedience of the law; It is imperative and obligatory that we pay what we have agreed to”

Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria, (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji commended the new Chairman of BON for taking the bull by the horn and creating the atmosphere for peaceful resolution of the issues. He also commended Mr. Momoh for showing good examples by making sure that Channels TV continuously fulfils its copyright obligations to COSON.
Chief Okoroji said that COSON remains committed to ensuring that Nigeria is a nation in which intellectual property rights are highly respected because according to him, respect for intellectual property is critical to tapping the significant economic potentials of the nation’s creative industries for national development. He also said that he remains fully dedicated to complete transparency, accountability and comprehensive reporting to the different COSON stakeholder groups which he said are the hallmarks of the success and continued growth of COSON.

In recognition of the prevailing economic situation in the country, one of the key decisions taken at the meeting is to extend the life of the 2014 royalty agreement meant to terminate in December 2016. The agreement is now to terminate in December 2017 without any increase in tariffs. Mr. Momoh thanked the COSON leadership for the gesture. It was also agreed that the two organizations meet regularly to review developments.