Monalisa Chinda Floats TV Talk Show Finally

Veteran Nollywood actress and entrepreneur, Monalisa Chinda, has completed production of her much anticipated innovative talk-show.

Produced to world-class standard and targeted at millions of viewers across leading television and online media platforms globally, the show entitled You And I With Monalisa is an eccentric one designed to address pressing and trending social issues in the most refreshing perspectives.

"It's great to be challenged again at this exciting phase of my career with the privilege to present something fresh and original," Monalisa said of the state-of-the-art talk show.

"We're dealing with everything engaging, enriching and life-changing including some of the pitfalls
we get into as a people, and ultimately how do we get out of them?" she added.

The show features AY Makun, Mai Atafo, Dotun Akande, Lanre Olusola, Tonye Cole among others.

You And I With Monalisa is scheduled to go live on African Independent Television, Television Continental and other platforms in the coming week.

Let APC Caucuses Reconcile Now For Good Governance

 – Onabis
Francis Onabis is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview with Uzo Chikere he advises the APC caucuses in the National Assembly to reconcile their differences in order to ensure robust relationship between the executive and legislators.  Excerpts:

What should be the top priorities for the new government in your view?
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) government left lots of baggage of problems for the new government in terms of corruption, debts in trillions of dollars, insecurity in the North East, massive unemployment, and declining economy, among others. I believe all these problems would be tackled by President Muhammadu Buhari. It is obvious the president has prioritised security of the citizens of the country. That is what a reasonable government will do because a country that is not secured basically can't move forward. We have to have internal security for foreign investors to come to Nigeria to invest and for the citizens to feel safe. So, personally the first thing I think the president should do is to secure the country and I am proud of President Buhari’s early steps in achieving a secured country.

What about the issue of corruption, which is endemic in the system?
We have to create the situation where people have to understand that corruption is not the way of living or a way of doing business. There must be certain laws that will make people understand that there is consequence if you take money or bribe from somebody to do what you are paid for or if someone steals public money and people should be prepared to face the consequences. The moment people know that there is a consequence for their actions; they will stop taking things that don't belong to them. Most people who were digging hands into the public purse did that because of the posture of the country’s leader. Today public office holders are sitting up because a no-nonsense President is in charge and people will be amazed with the manner of people who will make the cabinet and it is not going to be business as usual. Nigerians will not be disappointed.

In the past many people were not tried for corruption-related issues because they are members of the ruling party or associates of the power brokers in Nigeria. That will not happen under President Buhari. If you rob from the state you must be punished, no matter who you are. The state should be run like business. There are situations that 74 per-cent of the national budget is used for recurrent expenditure. This is not good for the country.

President Buhari and his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo have declared their assets, but many governors are yet to make their assets public. What is your take?
That is the leadership I am talking about. The president and his vice have already declared their assets, so I believe all governors and any person who is going to hold public office must also declare their assets public. I am sure governors who have not declared their assets will be forced by the president’s commitment to ending corruption to do same.

What is your take on the salaries and allowances of the National Assembly which many Nigerians have condemned?
I think the federal lawmakers should know the change Nigerians wanted is here, so they must stop doing things the old way. The present economy of the country does not give room for wastage and that is why some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors across the country have cut their own salaries. I think the leadership of the National Assembly must toe this line. APC lawmakers in the National Assembly must advocate for reduction of the lawmakers’ salaries and allowances in line with our party agenda. So, I am expecting our respected lawmakers to ensure that our party agenda on reducing cost of governance in the country is implemented.

Now that APC is at the helm of affairs, what should the party do differently?
APC will do many things differently in terms of infrastructure, unemployment, internal democracy and insecurity in the country. We told the electorate before election that our party would stick to its blueprint to develop Nigeria and we will do that. Our party must support the government with its activities. I believe if the party is peaceful and devoid of internal rancour, the president will be more stable to govern the nation very well. I am looking forward to a peaceful reconciliation of our members in the National Assembly because this will ensure our party’s agenda and ensure robust relationship between President Buhari and the National Assembly.

Artiste Managers, Entertainers And Showbiz Space

Uzo Chikere

Every business needs effective, efficient and functional management. Entertainment is serious business contrary to wide belief that it is a mere pastime. It is show business but sadly, some people who have most times gate crashed into the entertainment space have over time created the impression that it is all about the show without as much as laying any modicum of emphasis on the business component of the entire package.

Artistes of different persuasions are basically creative people who even in there care-free disposition devote more time and energy originating new ideas as well as rehearsing their would-be performances. By so doing, they hardly pay attention to planning and proper organization of the real business.

It is in this wise that the dire requirement of artiste manager comes in. This operative is just a component of what show business pundits describe as artiste support team in the entertainment industry which comprises a personal manager, attorney, business manager, booking agent, and groupies.

But the artiste manager is key to the business success of the artiste’s shows. Also doubling as the personal manager, the artiste manager plays such roles as advising and counseling in any or all areas of the artiste's entertainment career, such as representing the artiste in business negotiations; supervising professional engagements; coordinating publicity and promotion.

Others include soliciting recording, publishing, merchandising and endorsement contracts; directing and supervising the business aspects of the artistes' career; coordinating relations with record companies; song selection; assembling a professional support staff; being available to confer with artiste; acting as a buffer between the artiste and the rest of the world and shaping the artiste's image.

In the Nigerian industry, the bane of many artistes’ careers is the neglect of this essential figure in the scheme of things which has adversely affected the entire process in terms of positioning it for amassing the deserved benefits as is the case in other climes. Many artistes in Nigeria would rather go for endorsement negotiations; performance engagement meetings; marketing and recording contract than concentrate on their creative process.

Those among them who have availed themselves of the services of quality artiste managers have obviously made the positive difference in their career. That brings to mind such top acts as 2-Face Idibia, P-Square, Ice Prince, Muma Gee, Azeezat, Wizkid and MI among others.

However, the success rate of any artiste with a manager depends largely on how amenable the artiste is to harnessing the manager’s services as well as the kind of working relationship existing between them including remuneration for the manager.

The compensation regime for a manager is normally expressed as a commission which is typically 10-25% of the artiste's gross earnings. But there are exclusions from commissionable income such as among others, music publishing income retained by or payable to third parties including, without limitation, songwriter royalties payable to co-writers and publishing company administration fees; bona-fide third party costs incurred in connection with motion picture and television synchronization licenses; actual recording costs, (including applicable union scale payments to artiste) of artiste's master recordings and audiovisual works and recoupable tour support payments;

The inability of many Nigerian acts to engage artiste managers to organize their show business for optimum result according to followers of the entertainment industry, include ignorance, dearth of funds and at times the feeling that they can do it alone so as to conserve scarce funds.

But artistes who have worked under the guidance of some notable Nigerian artiste managers have resplendent stories to tell about the trade. 2-Face has been for years managed by Efe Omoregbe, a well-known persona in the industry and his career has remained on the rise.

Twin brothers,P-Square managed effectively by their sibling, Jude Okoye aka Engees, have continued to grow in their business with an astonishing rapidity.

Another high calibre artiste manager who has ensured the rise of Ekpeie lady entertainer, Muma Gee is Sunday Are of Joy Entertainment fame.

Also in good hands and making progress in her career, is Azeezat being managed by her husband, Seyi Allen.

The use of services offered by artiste managers is not a choice but rather, a rule guiding the industry. For entertainment to be fully regarded as a serious field of endeavor, it behoves the practitioners to strictly apply the necessary formalities that will confer on it the importance and the place it deserves in the Nigerian business environment.     

COSON Slams N500 M Copyright Suit On Transport Coy

Uzo Chikere

The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), dragged a Benin City-based based transport company for alleged copyright infringement of musical works and sound recordings assigned to it. In line with its resolve to address the violation of its rights by the transport industry across Nigeria, the nation’s sole collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings filed a suit against Big Joe Ventures Ltd. Also joined in the suit is Mr. Joseph Osayende, Managing Director of the company.

According to suit No. FHC/B/CS/153/15 filed at the Federal High Court, Benin City on June 30, 2015, COSON is asking for a declaration that the act of the Big Joe Ventures and Joseph Osayende, without the authority or permission of COSON, in copying, communicating to the public and permitting to be performed in the commercial buses and bus stations owned or operated by Big Joe Motors, the various musical works and sound recordings belonging to the members, assignees and affiliates of COSON is an infringement of the rights of the Plaintiff as guaranteed by the Copyright Act (Cap 28, LFN 2004)

COSON has also asked the court for the award of 500 Million Naira in unpaid royalties and damages against Big Joe Ventures Ltd and Mr. Joseph Osayende for the unauthorized copying, communication to the public, permission to perform in public and infringement of the copyright in the musical works and sound recordings belonging to the members, affiliates and assignors of the Plaintiff.

COSON is also requesting a perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents, privies or servants from the unauthorized copying, communication to the public, permission to perform and infringement of the copyright in the musical works and sound recordings belonging to its members, affiliates and assignors.

Reacting to the development, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji said, ‘Nigerian law is not a piece of artwork to be admired. It is made to be respected and obeyed by all. Nobody should feel sorry for anyone sued by COSON. For years, they have been reminded over and over again to act within the law. Some of them however believe that Nigeria is a place where there is no consequence for what you do so they treat the law with scorn. We assure them that they will find out that they are wrong. It is well known all over the world that you cannot deploy intellectual property belonging to someone else in your business without a licence. That is the linchpin of most strong economies in the world today but there are many in Nigeria who rake in millions from exploiting the works of creative people but show absolute contempt for the rights of the same creative people. We are committed to bringing that to an end’.

Speaking also on the action, the General Manager of COSON, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji said, “Whatever we say at COSON, we will do. We have been speaking to the Nigerian transport industry for a long time. They are not above the law. We have exhausted all options and are left with no other choice but to take appropriate actions against those who will not listen to reason. Those who know COSON will tell them that Big Joe is just the beginning. Others will be caught by the web sooner than they think”.

Lady Flutist, Ebele, Celebrates Thanks-giving Birthday

Uzo Chikere

Female flutist, Ebele, seems to have so much up her sleeve. The youthful has finally launched out professionally as she invited fans, friends and family members to her birthday throw down in Lagos Sunday during which she set the tone for unveiling the Ebele’s Brand project. 

According to her, the event slated to take place at the Daystar Christian Centre, Orgun was designed as a thanks-giving birthday for her to express gratitude to God for what He had done for her over the last year. “It’s a thanks-giving birthday really; thanking God for all he had done for me; lasy year, I released a single entitled Dream Come Through produced by Cobhams Asuquo, and by God’s grace, I’m releasing the Ebele’s Brand project before the year runs out”, Ebele said.

The occasion will also serve as an avenue to showcase the other parts of Ebele, she further revealed, urging her fans to look watch out.