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OKOROJI VERY HAPPY WITH THE GOOD EXAMPLE OF COSON
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The newly re-elected Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the nation’s sole government approved Collective Management Organization for musical works and sound recordings, Chief Tony Okoroji, has expressed great happiness at the remarkable example shown by members of COSON at the just concluded elections to the Board of the society. Chief Okoroji who was speaking to staff members at the Boardroom of the society in Opebi Lagos a day after the elections, said that the conduct of the Annual General Meeting and elections should be a reference point to all organizations in the creative industry in Nigeria.
COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji
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According to Chief Okoroji, "There are those who thought that COSON would collapse as a result of the elections but the conduct of the COSON members was exemplary. We had 23 well known persons vying for 11 places on the Board. We had a jam packed hall and for the over 7 hours that the process lasted, no one raised his voice and no one quarreled with another. Everyone conducted himself with decorum. The process was so professional and transparent that at the end of the day, those who won and those who did not embraced themselves and chorused the society’s slogan, ’Let the music pay!’’ Chief Okoroji insists that COSON is determined to change the perception that every organization in the entertainment industry must be unstable. According to him, changing that stereotype is critical to securing the future of the many very talented people in the Nigerian entertainment community and ensuring that there is a true industry that people are confident to work with and invest in.
Chief Okoroji praised the staff for their commitment which he says is responsible for the incredible progress made by COSON in just two years of its approval by the government and assured the Management of the full support of the new Board. In the words of Okoroji, “People come to COSON and they are surprised at the level of professionalism they experience. From the environment, the personnel and our communication, we have spared nothing to be at the cutting edge of management in a new age. COSON must remain one of Nigeria’s best run organizations; fleet footed, quick thinking and ever ready to deploy brain power to deal with every challenge. It is important that when people think about the infighting and instability within the various organizations in the entertainment industry, they remember that there is one significant exception – COSON”.
Speaking on the composition of the new COSON Board, Chief Okoroji said, "The new COSON Board is made up of some of the best hands in the creative industry, the likes of Efe Omorogbe, Obi Asika, Audu Maikori, Banky W and Baba Dee are distinguished personalities in their respective fields. The Board is also blessed with men who have an intimate knowledge of the Nigerian music industry like Adewale Ayuba, Joel Ajayi, John Udegbunam and Sikiru Agboola. Azeezat is the icing on the cake, her talent is unrivaled and so is her soothing nature. I am so excited with this mix. The new COSON Board is solid with people bubbling with ideas. I am confident that the Board will deliver’’
It will be recalled that on May 8, COSON held its 2nd AGM at the EKO FM, Multi-Purpose Hall, Ikeja where right holders from all over the country converged. The AGM received the report of the Board and reviewed the accounts of the society. The entire Board was dissolved and fresh elections held.
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EBENEZER OBEY APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF COSON ADVISORY COUNCIL
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The newly elected Board of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) at its first meeting of May 8, 2012, approved the setting up of a COSON Advisory Council with Evang. (Dr.) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi MFR as Chairman. The COSON Advisory Council which will be an important think tank for the society is a forum for select past Board members and others who have special experiences or skills, to offer useful advice to the society so that all hands continue to be on deck.
Other members of the council appointed at the inaugural meeting of the new Board include, Prof. (Sir) Victor Uwaifo MON, Dr. Dan Maraya Jos MON, Ms. Onyeka Onwenu MFR, Mr. Laolu Akins, Mr. Sunny Neji, Mr. Toju Ejueyitchie, Dr. Ben Ofoeze, Mr. Ossy Affason and financial wizkid, Mr. Dayo Ogunyemi.
Speaking on the reason for setting up the Advisory Council, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji said, “Copyright administration is such a complex undertaking that requires all meaningful contributions. Since the Board cannot accommodate more than the stipulated number of eleven members, the Board has deemed it proper to set up an Advisory Council which will be made up of seasoned minds and achievers from within and outside the society, whom we believe have the right intellect to inject ideas that should help the Board take COSON to our dream of being the No 1 CMO in Africa. I wish to state here that we are still building the Advisory Council as more hands will be invited to come on board and I believe in no time, members of COSON will be singing a new song”.
Reacting to the setting up of an Advisory Council, newly elected member of COSON Board, Azeezat Allen said, “This is a wonderful initiative, it gives the society an opportunity to benefit from the wealth of knowledge of people who have distinguished themselves in the music business in Nigeria, I am excited as I know this will mean well for all who have the progress of COSON at heart”.
An eleven member Board of COSON was elected on May 8, 2012 at the society’s 2nd Annual General Meeting held at Eko FM Hall in Lagos. New entrants to the COSON Board include Banky W, Azeezat Allen, Baba Dee, Dr. Adewale Ayuba and Audu Maikori, CEO of Chocolate City. Returning to the Board are Efe Omoroegbe, CEO of Now Muzik; Obi Asika, CEO of Storm 360; Mr. Joel Ajayi, CEO of Gospel Choral Records; Hon. John Udegbunam, Alhaji S. A. Agboola and Chief Tony Okoroji who was also re-elected as the Chairman of the Board. |
BANKY W, BABA DEE, AZEEZAT JOIN COSON BOARD AS TONY OKOROJI RETURNS AS CHAIRMAN
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L-R. Hon. John Udegbunam, Obi Asika, Azeezat Allen, Baba Dee, Chief Tony Okoroji,Adewale Ayuba, Banky W, Efe Omoroegbe, Audu Ma
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Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has elected sensational music stars Banky W, Baba Dee and Azeezat Allen as members of the new Board of Directors of the society. The announcement came shortly after the interim Management Board of the society was dissolved and fresh elections were held for a new COSON Board during the society’s Annual General Meeting at Eko FM Hall in Lagos on Tuesday May 8, 2012. The AGM holds barely five months after the last one which took place in December 2011, because the interim Board had lasted two years and had to be dissolved according to the society’s rules.
In his outgoing address as Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji advised members of the society to selflessly support the newly elected Board in taking COSON to greater heights. He said, “I wish to emphasize that you do not have to be on the Board to be on board. In other words, you do not have to be on the COSON Board to be on board the COSON train. COSON will require the skills and contributions of several hundreds of people in this period of consolidation to achieve our dream of making COSON the No 1 CMO in Africa and all those who want to make genuine contributions to the society will find that there is enough work to do”.
Elections were carried out in a peaceful manner in a hall filled to the brim with expectant members and an eleven member Board was produced. New entrants to the COSON Board also consist of tested and proven hands like Fuji icon, Adewale Ayuba and Audu Maikori, CEO of Chocolate City. Returning to the Board are Efe Omoroegbe, CEO of Now Musik; Obi Asika, CEO of Storm 360; Mr. Joel Ajayi, Hon. John Udegbunam, Alhaji S. A. Agboola and Chief Tony Okoroji who was also re-elected as the Chairman of the Board.
In his acceptance speech as Chairman of the Board, Chief Okoroji thanked members for the confidence shown in his leadership and reiterated his determination in ensuring that COSON becomes a society every member is proud to be a part of. He also expressed his firm belief in the calibre of people who made it to the Board and called on them to make their mark with the opportunity that has come their way. He said, “I am so excited at the crop of personalities we have on this new Board, COSON is at a crucial stage. While we require skill and talent to move the society forward, we also require visionaries and dedicated people who will ensure that COSON delivers on her mandate. I believe in everyone who has made it on board and I know that the Board is well equipped to take COSON to the place of our dreams; a bigger and better COSON”.
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COSON'S 'LET THE MUSIC PAY' NOT JUST A SLOGAN . . -TONY OKOROJI |
The Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji has said that the now popular COSON slogan ‘Let the Music Pay!’ is a battle cry to dislodge the shackles that have held the music industry down in Nigeria for too long. Chief Okoroji was speaking at two different events which were held in Lagos on the same day last week. At the first event, he addressed practitioners in the entertainment industry at a forum organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in collaboration with the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) and the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) at the Nigerian Film Corporation Auditorium in Ikoyi. Two hours later, Chief Okoroji addressed a gathering of representatives of several banks, lawyers and top players in the Nigerian creative sector at the Forum for Financing Creative Business which held at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Victoria Island.
Speaking at the two events, the COSON Chairman said, “At the point that we made the resolution to adopt ‘Let the Music Pay!’ as our battle cry, what had started for us was not just a revolution, it was a revolt or you may say an uprising... an uprising against endless suspicion and bickering that had kept the industry down; an uprising against the building of shoddy and uninspiring organizations that soon collapsed because they were built on quick sand; an uprising against inertia and lack of self belief. ‘Let the Music Pay!’ is not an appeal, not a supplication and not even a prayer. Notice that we never say ‘Let the Music Pay!’ without the exclamation mark. ‘Let the Music Pay!’ is a demand, a demand not just on those we think have exploited the rights of the creators and investors in the music enterprise in Nigeria, it is a demand on us who carry the cross on behalf of others not to even contemplate failure”.
Chief Okoroji said that over the years, the huge efforts put into the Nigerian music industry by creators and investors have produced little dividends, noting that the more Nigerian artistes created great music, the poorer most of them have become because a large number of music users believe that they are justified to use music for free whenever they like. He described such a notion as fallacious and said, “No creator or investor in Nigerian music is under any obligation to provide free music to everyone”.
Chief Okoroji said, “For too long in Nigeria, the music industry has subsidized the broadcasting industry, the hotel industry, luxury bus operations, shopping malls, banking halls, airlines, advertising, churches, Alaba Market and the likes”. He pointed out that this has caused the industry to hemorrhage while these other industries and groups have continuously powered their businesses and grown their bottom lines with the works others have laboriously created and invested in. He said that the time has come to put an end to the broadcast and public use of non-licensed music in Nigeria because the growth of the music industry largely depends on the copyright protection enjoyed by creators of musical works and sound recordings. He called on all music right owners to tenaciously lay a claim to their rights as provided by the Copyright Act in order to receive the deserved benefits of their labour.
Speaking on the activities of COSON, Chief Okoroji said that the society “is committed to running a very professional Collective Management Organization driven by knowledge, skills and the most modern technology available”. He said that in 2012, COSON is determined to distribute much more than N25.7 Million distributed as royalties to members last December.
Chief Okoroji paid glowing tributes to Mr. Efe Omorogbe, CEO, Now Muzik whom he said played a critical role in the formation of the Nigerian Music Industry Coalition that led to the bridging of the gap between the so called old school and new school of the music industry and the end of the age old dog-eat-dog rivalry between the eastern and western axis of the industry.
In conclusion, he said, ‘Many have been involved in whatever progress COSON has made. Many more will be involved in building the COSON that will realize the dreams of those who have cast their nets with music in Nigeria. But if I had to point to one person without whom it would all have been impossible, I will unequivocally say, ‘Thank you, Efe Omorogbe’’ |
COSON RECEIVES NORCODE VICE CHAIRMAN |
L-R. COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji_NORCODE Vice Chairman, Ms.. Tarja Koskinen-Olsson and COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji
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The Management of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) last week played host to foremost copyright expert and Vice Chairman of the Norwegian Copyright Development Association (NORCODE), Ms. Tarja Koskinen-Olsson, at the society’s headquarters in Opebi, Lagos. Ms. Koskinen-Olson was in Nigeria for two principal purposes. Her first assignment was to review the activities of COSON on behalf of NORCODE. Ms. Koskinen-Olsson was also in Nigeria as an expert of the World Intellectual Property Organization, the United Nations specialized agency for intellectual property.
Ms. Tarja Koskinen-Olsson, former President of International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organization (IFRRO) and former Chief Executive of KOPIOSTO, the joint Finish Copyright Organization, has served on the board of several Intellectual Property organizations and currently provides mentorship support to COSON in the area of digital rights management. As a WIPO expert, she was also in Nigeria to deliver a paper at the Seminar on Copyright for film professionals organized by the Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).
Receiving the NORCODE boss, COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chuwuji thanked Ms. Koskinen-Olsson for her unrelenting commitment to the development of COSON and said that her expertise and guidance have been instrumental to the successes that COSON has recorded. He said he was excited by her presence in Nigeria and was confident of the wealth of knowledge that will be made available not to only COSON but the wider Intellectual Property community as a result of her visit.
Ms. Koskinen-Olsson thanked the COSON management team for the warm reception accorded her and commended the society for its fast-paced growth since its approval. She applauded the COSON team for the distribution of royalties to members in December 2011, in just about a year since its approval by the Nigerian government. She noted that success for a Collective Management Organization is measured by how much it pays out to members as royalties and not how much it stores in the bank. She also said that she was pleased with what she had seen at COSON and expressed confidence in the COSON leadership in taking the society to greater heights.
Speaking on the visit, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji said, “COSON is committed to being the number one collective management organization in Africa, we are grateful for the support that we have enjoyed from the likes of Ms. Koskinen-Olsson in delivering on this. I wish Tarja a pleasant stay in Nigeria and I look forward to more visits of this nature which I believe is beneficial to the creative industry in Nigeria”.
It would be recalled that COSON has in recent weeks hosted representatives of several international organizations such as International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Last week, COSON also played host to a team of top managers from the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC). |
WIPO MISSION ASSURES NIGERIAN MUSICIANS OF WORLD WIDE ROYALTY COLLECTION |
A technical mission of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Geneva based United Nations agency for intellectual property issues around the world, has assured Nigerian musicians of world-wide royalty collection and distribution henceforth using the technology which WIPO has just installed at Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).
This assurance was made by Mr. Simon Ouedraogo, WIPO Senior Advisor, Cultural and Creative Industries Sector during a joint press briefing at the Ikeja corporate headquarters of COSON, the nation’s sole approved collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings. At the briefing on Thursday, March 29 to mark the end of the weeklong WIPO technical mission to Nigeria, were Mr. Boukary Sawadogo, WIPO IT Consultant; Chief Tony Okoroji, COSON Chairman; Mr. Chris Nkwocha, Lagos Zonal Manager of the Nigerian Copyright Commission and Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji, COSON General Manager.
At the briefing, Mr. Ouedraogo observed that Nigerian musicians may have lost huge amounts of money as many of their works exploited internationally have not been listed in the key international databases without which their royalties cannot be tracked and paid. Noting that as a result of their mission, the situation has changed dramatically, Mr. Ouederago said, “At the end of this exercise, COSON would be able to use WIPOCOS international database connection tool to work and to locate its members throughout the world in the International Interested Parties (IPI) database, as well as the International Musical Works Database (WID). The ultimate achievement is that Nigerian musicians would now have the right and the possibility to feature in IPI which is used worldwide, to be recognized as COSON members and to receive royalties accruing to them from all over the world”.
Mr. Ouedraogo also announced that the WIPO experts have installed the newest version of WIPOCOS, called WIPOCOS Prime, a more powerful operating system which will facilitate the work of the COSON staff and enable COSON henceforth to fully generate its distribution according to international standards and norms. Furthermore, he said that the mission undertook the training of COSON staff and technical personnel in the use of international data transfer which will enable COSON members to be part of and included in the international database and the data sharing system.
Mr. Ouedraogo further announced that WIPO is spearheading a project to build a common database and data exchange system for all the West African CMOs, through the West African Copyright Network (WAN). He said that COSON is expected to play a pivotal role as a driving force within the region to achieve this objective, and beyond. According to him, WIPO’s aim is to connect the WAN CMOs into the International Music Registry (IMR), a global database and licensing system for the 21st century, which WIPO would soon launch. Mr. Ouedraogo also said that WIPO has noted the driving force which the COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, has become in championing the creation and the implementation of the West African Copyright Network of CMOs (WAN) which will further take the region as a whole to the level of the CMOs of the developed countries.
Reacting to the WIPO mission, Chief Okoroji expressed the gratitude of COSON to Dr. Francis Gurry, Director-General of WIPO; Mr. Trevor Clarke, Assistant Director–General, Culture & Creative Industries Section and Nigeria’s own Geoffrey Onyeama, WIPO’s Deputy Director-General, Cooperation for Development, for their demonstrated commitment to the rapid development of COSON. Said Chief Okoroji, “Once again, I wish to declare that COSON remains committed to being the number one collective management organization in Africa in the shortest possible time. We therefore will continue to count on the support of WIPO for the required training and capacity building for our officers and personnel. What we are witnessing today is the unfolding of an organization committed to deploying the best technology known to man and using the sharpest intellect available to deliver results that everyone in our nation ought to be proud of. I want to say to you today: COSON is ready for the digital age”
Mr. Ouedraogo also thanked the management and staff of COSON for the warm reception his team received in Nigeria and expressed WIPO’s commitment to further expose COSON staff to international training to enable COSON deliver on its mandate. The COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji, thanked the WIPO team and said, “COSON is ready to take on the world because we have been equipped to do so. We look forward to showing off the results of the tireless efforts of the current mission to the next WIPO mission”.
It may be recalled that the WIPO mission arrived shortly after the two day working visit to COSON of Mr. Robert Hooijer of the International Confederation of Authors and Composers Societies (CISAC) representing collective management organizations in 121 countries around the world. |
COSON SALUTES EBENEZER OBEY @ 70 |
Evang. (Dr.) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi (MFR)
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Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji has sent a letter of congratulations to music maestro, Evang. (Dr.) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi (MFR) who attains the biblical age of 70 on Tuesday April 3, 2012.
In a letter dated Tuesday March 27, 2012, Chief Okoroji wrote, “Your many years of iconic contribution to the growth of the music industry in Nigeria and the development of our fatherland will always be appreciated. Your fatherly role in moments of great challenges to us has been remarkable. As your 70th birthday comes by, we want you to know that the creative community of which you been a first-class ambassador joins your millions of fans and friends around the world in happy celebration”.
Evang. (Dr.) Ebenezer Obey has held several important positions within the music industry in Nigeria. In the formative years of the association, Evangelist Obey was chairman of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). He was also for several years Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Recording Industries (NARI). The Evangelist also served as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC). Today, he serves on the Board of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) of which he is a frontline member.
Ebenezer Obey is loved across the nation for his countless hit songs with unforgettable lyrics straddling several decades. His sonorous singing voice must be one of the most known and loved in the history of popular music in Nigeria. His non-abrasive personality has won him millions of fans across many boundaries. Today Evang. Obey continues to win souls for the Lord, through his ministry, Decross Gospel Mission.
The celebration of his 70th birthday takes place at 10 Degrees Events Centre, Billings Way, Oregun on the 3rd of April, 2012.
Reacting to Evang. Obey’s upcoming celebration, the COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji said, “At COSON we do not joke with any of our members, but there is no doubt Evang. Obey is very special, which is why we are thrilled by his upcoming birthday celebration. We wish him the very best and more fulfilling years to come”. |
OKOROJI APPEALS TO JONATHAN ON COPYRIGHT COMMISSION |
The Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to exclude the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) from any proposed merger of intellectual property agencies into a unified body, stating that making the NCC part of an omnibus intellectual property agency will retard the significant progress presently being made in copyright administration and enforcement in Nigeria. Chief Okoroji noted that the NCC which is an enforcement agency like the NDLEA and Customs is a lot different from the registry of Patents and Trademarks and National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) which are administrative agencies.
In his paper titled Harnessing Nigeria’s Status as a World Power in Popular Music delivered at a workshop organized recently by the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, in Abuja, Chief Okoroji also pointed out that there is a rapidly growing demand all over the world for music created by Nigerians stating that “The Nigerian music industry has grown tremendously, that Nigeria has become a world power in popular music”.
At the well attended workshop held at the National Press Centre, Chief Okoroji said that for such a trend to be sustained, the music industry like other creative industries in Nigeria require the continued support of the Copyright Commission to drive them. He said copyright is the fulcrum upon which the creative industry thrives and that any modification in the system which will negatively affect the efficiency of the copyright commission must be discouraged because creative industries in Nigeria have huge economic potentials which should be exploited and not left to waste.
Said Chief Okoroji, “It will be a tough call for our creative industries if the NCC is not left as a standalone commission. Copyright administration is what sustains the creative industry anywhere in the world and by the provisions of the law its operations are very unique. Unlike the other intellectual property organs which are purely administrative, the copyright commission is an enforcement agency. How do you submerge an enforcement agency into an administrative one and expect excellent results? Also, the copyright commission is not a direct income generating agency like the other IP organs, so there will be the tendency for copyright administration to be ignored and more focus given to the direct income earning agencies, leaving not just the commission but all the industries that depend on copyright to suffer”.
Among many cultural administrators and activists present at the workshop were the honourable Minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke; the Permanent Secretary of the Culture Ministry, Dr. B. D. Ibeh; Directors of Culture, Mr. Abdukadir Mukhtar and Mr. George Uffot; General Manager of COSON, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji; artistes like Alhaji A. Wayya Danmaraya Jos and National President of the Society of Nigerian Artists, Mr. Uwa Usen. |
NEW WIPO MISSION IN NIGERIA FOR COSON |
WIPO headquarters in Geneva
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A new technical mission of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Geneva based UN specialized agency for Intellectual property around the world, arrived the country over the weekend to provide Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the technological framework to improve on its capacity to carry out its mandate as the nation’s sole government approved collective management organization.
The mission made up of Mr. Simon Ouedraogo, WIPO Senior Advisor and Mr. Boukary Sawadogo, WIPO Consultant is to be embedded at COSON for a period of one week.
As part of their assignment, the team will assess the COSON current database under the WIPOCOS system; provide theoretical and technical training, regarding the management of related rights in the context of WIPOCOS and assist to improve COSON distribution system in the field of musical works.
The team will also install and train the COSON technical personnel on WIPOCOS related rights modules, in particular WIPOCOS PERFORMERS so as to assist COSON to more efficiently deal with sound recordings. The mission will also customize a distribution system for COSON with respect to sound recordings and performance.
Welcoming the team to Nigeria, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, expressed the appreciation of the society to the Director General of WIPO, Dr. Francis Gurry for the interest that WIPO has shown towards the rapid growth of COSON. He noted that this was the second WIPO technical mission to COSON in less than two years of approval by the Nigerian government.
Said Chief Okoroji, “COSON is committed to be Africa’s number one collective management organization in music and sound recordings within the shortest possible time. Our rapid growth is an affirmation of the promise we made to the stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry that we will build an institution that everyone will be proud of. The current WIPO mission will definitely accelerate that process”.
Speaking on arrival, the leader of the team, Mr. Simon Ouedraogo said, “The international copyright community is impressed with what COSON has done so far and is committed to ensure that the momentum is maintained. At WIPO, we believe that COSON is showing good example of how a CMO should be run and WIPO support for COSON is assured”.
In reaction to the WIPO mission, the COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji, said that he is thrilled by the important mission, shortly after the working visit to COSON of Mr. Robert Hooijer of the International Confederation of Authors and Composers Societies (CISAC). According to Mr. Chukwuji, “This is clear evidence that COSON is flying high and the world is applauding”.
It will be recalled that COSON in December 2011, distributed several millions of naira to stakeholders in the music industry across the country. The society has promised an even bigger distribution in 2012. |
FRCN BOSS CALLS ON BROADCASTING STATIONS TO SUPPORT COSON |
The Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Barrister Yusuf Nuhu has called on all broadcasting stations across the country to give full support to Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) in its efforts to ensure the respect of the rights of creative artistes in Nigeria so that broadcasting can thrive in a peaceful and professional atmosphere. Barrister Nuhu made this call earlier in the week at a midday event which took place at Radio House, Abuja during which he was decorated with the Copyright Medal of Honour by COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji. Referring to the copyright royalty agreement entered into between COSON and FRCN in January, 2011, Barrister Nuhu praised COSON for the professional management of the relationship and the new era of co-operation between the nation’s largest broadcast network and the music industry in Nigeria.
He commended the FRCN boss for his momentous role in ensuring that collective management of copyright succeeds in Nigeria and for trusting COSON in bringing about the historic partnership. Going down memory lane, Chief Okoroji recalled that his first meeting with a Director-General of FRCN on the royalty issue took place at Broadcasting House in Lagos in 1987 during the tenure of Alhaji Dahiru Modibo, a period of over 25 years. Said Chief Okoroji, “I had met with practically every FRCN Director General since then and each found it difficult to make the important decision to resolve the issues between the station and the creative industry until Barrister Nuhu came and took the bull by the horn and showed true leadership. The Copyright Medal of Honour is the highest award our industry gives to any individual and when Barrister Nuhu was nominated for the award, there was not one dissenting voice in our Board made up of fifteen of the nation’s most experienced stakeholders in the music industry. That is evidence that we are very happy with him”.
Speaking further, the COSON Chairman said that the music industry in Nigeria accounts for a large number of Nigerian youths who depend on COSON for their rights management and royalty collection. He said it was sad to constantly see broadcast stations defy the law and cheat these young Nigerians by hiding under all manner of excuses and illegally using their works to improve their bottom line. He called on all defaulting broadcasting organizations to take a cue from FRCN and operate within the confines of the Copyright Act as COSON is fully determined to enforce the law.
Reacting to the recognition accorded him; Barrister Nuhu said that the honour was not just his but that of the entire FRCN team. He expressed his appreciation to the COSON Board on behalf of the corporation. Present at the event were COSON General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji and several directors of FRCN such as Alhaji Ibrahim Bako - Director Programmes, Mr. M.A. Oluwole - Director Finance & Accounts, Mr. Abdullahi Adamu - Director News, Mr. Ike K. Okere - Head, Corporate Dev. & Communications, etc.
It will be recalled that Barrister Nuhu was to be decorated with the Copyright Medal of Honour at the National Theatre in Lagos at the last COSON AGM which held on December 13, 2011 but an unexpected assignment took him outside the country. At the AGM, COSON made history by distributing close to N26 million as royalties to stakeholders in the music industry.
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The Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, has called on the Federal Government to shut down the popular Alaba International market in Lagos. He made this call while speaking at a media conference held at the office of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in Lagos on Tuesday, this week, where six suspects arrested during a midnight raid at the market were paraded. Several pirated products, machines and other equipments worth millions of naira, used in the illegal trade were also seized.
Chief Okoroji said that every attempt to get the market association at Alaba to curb the unspeakable amount of copyright infringement in the market which is seriously denting the image of the country and destroying the economy has fallen on deaf ears. He is definite that a strong message needs to be sent by the Federal Government to the traders in the market if the fight against intellectual property theft will be seen as serious.
While addressing the media, the NCC Deputy Director, Enforcement, Mr. A. A. Amodu, said that the Commission is ready to pursue the pirates day and night until Alaba market is cleaned up. He also said that all those who are bent on stealing the fruits of other peoples’ sweat will have to face the new Nigerian Copyright Commission which is bent on “enforcement, enforcement and enforcement”. He affirmed that in the last four months, the NCC has prosecuted and convicted nineteen pirates in different courts across the country and that the enforcement and prosecution will be a continuous exercise.
Speaking on the Alaba issue, Chief Okoroji said, “We do not have anything against the people doing legitimate business at Alaba International market but the good people have been tarnished by the criminals in their midst and the market association continues to protect them. While young Nigerian musicians and actors are working day and night to produce great works, these criminals are busy reaping where they did not sow. This wicked act must be stopped to encourage the creativity of our youths who are doing the nation proud.”
Also present at the media briefing were the General Manager of COSON, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji; the NCC Zonal Manager, Lagos office, Mr. Chris Nkwocha; the Assistant Director, Enforcement, Mr. M. D.A Ojo and Mrs. Linda Alphaeus. |
COSON BOSS CALLS ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SHUT DOWN ALABA MARKET
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The Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, has called on the Federal Government to shut down the popular Alaba International market in Lagos. He made this call while speaking at a media conference held at the office of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in Lagos on Tuesday, this week, where six suspects arrested during a midnight raid at the market were paraded. Several pirated products, machines and other equipments worth millions of naira, used in the illegal trade were also seized.
Chief Okoroji said that every attempt to get the market association at Alaba to curb the unspeakable amount of copyright infringement in the market which is seriously denting the image of the country and destroying the economy has fallen on deaf ears. He is definite that a strong message needs to be sent by the Federal Government to the traders in the market if the fight against intellectual property theft will be seen as serious.
While addressing the media, the NCC Deputy Director, Enforcement, Mr. A. A. Amodu, said that the Commission is ready to pursue the pirates day and night until Alaba market is cleaned up. He also said that all those who are bent on stealing the fruits of other peoples’ sweat will have to face the new Nigerian Copyright Commission which is bent on “enforcement, enforcement and enforcement”. He affirmed that in the last four months, the NCC has prosecuted and convicted nineteen pirates in different courts across the country and that the enforcement and prosecution will be a continuous exercise.
Speaking on the Alaba issue, Chief Okoroji said, “We do not have anything against the people doing legitimate business at Alaba International market but the good people have been tarnished by the criminals in their midst and the market association continues to protect them. While young Nigerian musicians and actors are working day and night to produce great works, these criminals are busy reaping where they did not sow. This wicked act must be stopped to encourage the creativity of our youths who are doing the nation proud.”
Also present at the media briefing were the General Manager of COSON, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji; the NCC Zonal Manager, Lagos office, Mr. Chris Nkwocha; the Assistant Director, Enforcement, Mr. M. D.A Ojo and Mrs. Linda Alphaeus. |
OKOROJI CALLS FOR CRIMINAL SANCTIONS AGAINST BROADCASTERS OF UNLICENSED MUSIC
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The Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, has called for criminal sanctions against broadcasters of unlicensed music in Nigeria. Chief Okoroji made this call while speaking at a one-day Workshop on the Reform of Intellectual Property Laws in Nigeria organized by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) earlier in the week. Okoroji declared that as a result of the hard work of young Nigerians in the music industry, Nigeria has become a world power in contemporary popular music, with the music of Nigerian artistes ruling the air waves all over the continent and significant parts of Europe. He however expressed regret that at home, a situation where ‘monkey dey work, baboon dey chop’ has developed with new broadcast stations mushrooming across the country with their eyes on advertising revenue and no interest in paying the necessary royalties for the music content that sustains their broadcast. Describing the situation as a festering economic crime against the creative industry in Nigeria, the COSON Chairman called for a forceful reaction from the National Assembly to stamp out the cruel and unsustainable practice.
The workshop which held at the Henry Fajemirokun Hall of LCCI was co-sponsored by the European Development Fund and attracted notable Intellectual Property (IP) experts such as the retired Justice T. Odunowo who chaired the event. Also present were top representatives of such blue chip companies as MTN, UAC, Unilever, British American Tobacco, etc. The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), National Office for Technology Acquisition & Promotion (NOTAP), the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, and the Registry of Patents & Trade Marks in the Federal Ministry of Trade & Investments were all represented. A cross section of the nation’s top Intellectual Property lawyers such as Prof. Bankole Sodipo, Mrs. Chinyere Okorocha, Mr. Afam Nwokedi, Mrs. Abiola Shobola amongst others were also in attendance.
While addressing the challenges faced by owners of Intellectual Property in Nigeria in getting appropriate remuneration for their work, Chief Okoroji reminded the audience that piracy is not just the unauthorized reproduction of CDs, music cassettes and other carriers of content but includes the unlicensed broadcast of music and sound recordings and the unauthorized offering of such content on the internet. Chief Okoroji stated that while it is the wish of COSON to maintain a cordial relationship with the users of the works of its members and affiliates, the decision has been taken to deploy heavy legal tools against recalcitrant operators so as to stamp out the wanton abuse of the rights of creative people in Nigeria.
Addressing the issues of the prosecution of Intellectual Property law suits in Nigerian courts, Chief Okoroji said, “It has become necessary for the nation to think of providing special courts to deal with intellectual property cases because of the specialized training required by the judges who must resolve the very complex issues that surround IP matters. While that might be in the longer term, special judges of the Federal High Court may be designated to handle IP cases while the use of experts to resolve thorny issues has become absolutely essential”. |
CHUKWUJI CONFIRMED COSON GENERAL MANAGER |
Mr. Chinedu Angus Chukwuji has been confirmed as the substantive General Manager of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the nation’s sole Copyright Collective Management Organization for musical works and sound recordings. The confirmation took place during a two day meeting of the COSON board which ended on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at the Society’s head quarters in Lagos.
Mr. Chukwuji has functioned as COSON’s Acting General Manager since the society’s approval in May 2010. A seasoned administrator, Mr. Chukwuji’s experience in music copyright in Nigeria spans eleven years. He has just completed his residency programme in the Masters in Intellectual Property at Africa University, Zimbabwe. Mr. Chukwuji who has a Degree in Project Management also holds an MBA from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and has attended several international courses on Copyright.
The COSON 15 member board comprising important stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry during its meeting also deliberated on new strategies to move the Society forward. Among the strategies are stringent measures to effectively tackle individuals and organizations who publicly deploy music in Nigeria without obtaining a COSON license.
Speaking on the outcome of the meetings, the Chairman, Chief Okoroji said “We have taken our decisions and it is now time to act. While we may enjoy a cordial relationship with some of the people who illegally use our members’ works, we will not hesitate to compel them to abide by the Copyright Act. We mean business”.
Commenting on the confirmation of the position of the General Manager, Mr. Efe Omorogbe, CEO of Now Musik and member of the COSON board said “Mr. Chukwuji is tested and proven. We have no doubts that he will continue in his good capacity to take COSON to greater heights. The board’s confirmation of his appointment is proof of our confidence in him and we will give him all the support he requires”. |
NCC AND COSON RESTATE RESOLVE TO FIGHT MUSIC PIRACY TO A STANDSTILL |
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The leadership of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s sole collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings this week in Abuja met for hours with the top management of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), the Federal government agency that regulates Copyright matters across the country.
The COSON team was made up of the Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji and Acting General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji. Mr. Afam Ezekude, Director General, NCC led his team which comprised of the Head, Legal, Mr. Jacob Fagbemi; Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Charles Obi; Mr. Mike Akpan, Senior Special Assistant.
At the meeting, Chief Okoroji informed the NCC team of the determination of COSON to remain a well run organization that respects the law and reports timely and appropriately to NCC, the regulatory authority. The NCC team was also informed that the strong focus of COSON in 2012 is to substantially increase revenue distributable to the members and affiliates and to reduce the percentage revenue dedicated to administration.
Mr. Ezekude on behalf of the NCC management commended the leadership of COSON on its proven commitment to the pursuit of its mandate and pledged the unfettered support of the Commission to the continued success of COSON which can only happen if both organizations join hands to fight the piracy of music and sound recordings to a standstill.
On the front burner of the crucial meeting were issues that have become critical to the growth of the Society and its members such as strategies to deal with the menace of unlicensed collecting societies, commencement of mechanical royalty payments in Nigeria, the Copyright Levy scheme, prescription for the production of cover version of songs, prosecution of pirates of Copyright works, etc.
Commenting on the meeting, Chief Okoroji revealed his enthusiasm at the results of the deliberations. For him, the meeting was “a giant step in the right direction. COSON will continue to deliver on its responsibilities”. |
NO MORE 'BUSINESS AS USUAL' FOR BROADCAST PIRATES - TONY OKOROJI |
The Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, has stated that the society is determined to make the year 2012 for all investors in the Nigerian music industry worthwhile. This was made known at the end of a retreat held by the management of COSON recently in Lagos.
Speaking on the plans for the New Year, the Chairman said, “more than ever before, COSON is all out to see to it that members get the deserved rewards for their labour. I can clearly state here that in 2012, COSON will take decisive steps within the confines of the law to get full compensation for the works of all our members. No stone will be left unturned. It will no longer be business as usual for those who broadcast unlicensed music”.
It will be recalled that in December of 2011, about a year after COSON received its license to operate in Nigeria, the society distributed over twenty five million naira to its members in a very transparent process. It was the first of its kind in Nigeria and revealed a new stream of income for COSON members. Reacting to the development which came as a surprise to many, the members applauded the vision of COSON, reiterating their support for the body which came at the right time to address some of their challenges.
Further speaking on the New Year, Chief Okoroji stated that the organization will be knocking on new doors and exploiting all legal means to turn things around for COSON members in line with its role as the nation’s sole Collective Management Organization for musical works and sound recordings. He said that the society will put in place new strategies that have become necessary to drive its vision further and disclosed intentions to make the royalty distribution to members this year a bigger project.
Chief Okoroji also spoke of the critical need for COSON to hand out legal actions against defaulters in its quest to protect the rights of its members and their works and earmarked 2012 as the year for this. This, he said, is part of the plans to ensure that nobody using the works of the members of COSON will successfully avoid meeting the required obligations. Before now, the society had deployed moral suasion to ensure that users of musical works and sound recordings met their obligations as directed by the law, but that era of soft handling has come to a close as the society will deploy other strategies including legal actions when applicable.
He used the opportunity to thank all who have given their support to COSON and also called on the cooperation of all stakeholders in moving the music industry in Nigeria forward. With seat belts fastened and ready for the year, we can be assured that COSON will “let the music pay”. |
COSON SET TO SPLASH MILLIONS OF NAIRA ON COPYRIGHT OWNERS ON FIRST DISTRIBUTION
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On Tuesday, December 13, the premises of the National Theatre in Lagos will be the place to find Nigeria’s top songwriters, composers, publishers, owners of copyright in sound recordings and key music performers as they gather from all over the country for the first Annual General Meeting of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) following its approval by the Federal Government last year as the Nigeria’s sole officially recognized collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings.
In keeping with promises made by COSON earlier in the year, the occasion will also mark the first general distribution of royalties by the society to stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry.
The decision to hold the AGM on December 13 was taken following two full Board meetings of the society held within one week on November 1 and November 8, 2011 in Lagos. At the meetings attended by the society’s lawyers, auditors and key representatives of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, the accounts of the society were reviewed and approved by the Board, the date of the AGM was agreed and it was resolved that a scheme for a minimum of twenty five million naira to be immediately distributed to stakeholders, be proposed to the members at the AGM. The meeting of December 13 will also receive the report of the Directors while the members will have the opportunity to x-ray the activities of the society and chart a course for its future.
Speaking on the upcoming Annual General Meeting, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji says that the occasion is a landmark event and every serious member of the society should endeavor to be present. According to Chief Okoroji, “there are many who have expressed the view that collective management of copyright cannot work in Nigeria. They should come to the National Theatre on December 13 and see it at work. The distribution of twenty five million naira in one day, while an unprecedented event in Nigeria’s copyright history, is only a first step in what is a major breakthrough. I believe that working constructively together and remaining focused we have the capacity to do ten times or even a hundred times that amount in the very near future. Once the members agree to the distribution scheme, payment will begin immediately at the National Theatre. Our word is our bond”
Chief Okoroji also spoke about the circumstances that have made the rapid growth of COSON possible. According to the COSON Chairman, “we have refused to be distracted or get sucked in by the usual bickering that has been the bane of most creative industry institutions in Nigeria. The obstacles on our way are legion. The temptation to lose focus is huge. Our passion and commitment to the cause has however triumphed and the music industry in Nigeria will reap bountifully from the huge investments we are making in COSON. We will continue to attract first class brains and give our staff the best training in the world. COSON must remain at the cutting edge of technological development in the management of copyright in the digital age. We will not chase after the future. The future will find us ready”
It will be recalled that COSON was licensed by the Nigerian Copyright Commission as the nation’s sole approved copyright collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings in 2010. |
OKOROJI CALLS ON PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO SAVE INTERVENTION FUND |
Chief Tony Okoroji, COSON Chairman
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Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji has made a passionate plea to President Goodluck Jonathan to take urgent steps to save the Entertainment Industry Intervention Fund which the President announced last year with so much fanfare. Chief Okoroji who presented the Lead Paper at the Colloquium of the National Festival of Arts & Culture (NAFEST) on Wednesday, October 26 at the Cultural Centre Complex in Calabar held the packed audience, made up of senators, commissioners, permanent secretaries and culture administrators from all the states of the federation, spell bound for close to 45 minutes.
Leading three other discussants from different Nigerian universities to x ray the theme of the colloquium, Nigerian Traditional Music: A Vehicle for Economic Transformation and Unity, Chief Okoroji, a former President of PMAN said,“Some of us participated in the discussions that led to the institution of the intervention fund, but suddenly, the falcon can no longer hear the falconer. I have been invited to a few meetings from which I have come out with the belief that those charged with administering the fund are not quite sure what they are supposed to do.
President Goodluck Jonathan
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“I have very good reason to fear that eventually those who will access the fund are not those for which the fund was established and those who truly need the fund will never smell it. In the industry, there is growing disappointment and peculating conclusion that the intervention fund which created so much initial buzz is after all an election gimmick and money for the boys. No one else has the muscle to change that growing feeling than President Jonathan himself. He needs to personally and quickly intervene in the intervention fund before it becomes an albatross. He needs to give the marching orders to his team to take charge and ensure that the solemn promise he made to the entertainment community is kept”
In his paper, Chief Tony Okoroji, author of the book, Copyright & the New Millionaires and one of the nation’s foremost experts on intellectual property dwelt extensively on issues of intellectual property rights and collective management of rights in the digital age. He praised individual Nigerian musicians and producers for their hard work and enterprise which he says has now made Nigeria a significant force in world contemporary music. He argued however that to sustain this position and harness it to provide jobs for the teaming masses of the unemployed in Nigeria and contribute to national development, the nation needs to urgently articulate the way forward and provide the necessary institutional support that will drive private sector projects.
Chief Okoroji disagreed with those who have derisively described what is now termed Naija hip pop as a poor imitation of the American hip-pop culture. He traced the development of the burgeoning popular music culture in Nigeria citing examples to conclude that the present day Nigerian popular music forms do not originate from America but have their roots in traditional Nigerian music. According to him, it is indeed American hip-pop culture which is traceable through Soul music, Blues and Jazz music to the Negro Spirituals taken from West Africa to America by the slaves uprooted from our shores. He declared that no one should be surprised by any similarity in the forms as they share the same ancestry and genes.
Observing that there is serious disconnect between the Federal Ministry of Culture and the private sector practitioners the ministry was set up to support, Chief Okoroji called on the Minister of Culture to reposition the ministry and make it more relevant to the needs of the nation. He decried the abject lack of resources to actualize important projects in the cultural sector saying that things may have been different if the National Endowment for the Arts was up and running.
In the words of Chief Okoroji: “I believe that everyone in the cultural sector in Nigeria ought to be thoroughly embarrassed that more than 20 years after the promulgation of the National Endowment Fund for the Arts Decree (Decree No. 52 of 1991: now the National Endowment Fund for the Arts Act) the fund remains a mirage and people in the cultural sector still grope around for funding when an important source of funds is there. The Honourable Minister of Culture needs to act now. To my mind, if his only achievement in office is to get the National Endowment Fund for the Arts up and running well, he would have left his footprints in the sands of time”
Among those present at the Colloquium were Senator Hassan Barata, Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Ahmed Sani Stores, Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, His Royal Highness, Etubom Bob Duke representing the Obong of Calabar and Mr. Gabe Onah, Special Adviser on Tourism to the Governor ofCross River State. The Colloquium proceedings were chaired by Chief Segun Olusola.
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