The law firm of Creative Legal, representing Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and Chief Tony Okoroji, Chairman of COSON in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1172/17 hereby states emphatically and unequivocally that at no time has His Lordship, Honourable Justice Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in any ruling, ordered COSON or Chief Okoroji to render any account to MCSN.
Contrary to the false narrative being widely published and promoted on several media platforms, Creative Legal wishes to state in the clearest of terms that nothing could be further from the truth and that such legal development is the figment of the imagination of the author of the obnoxious piece.
We also state that the substantive issue in the case in which COSON has filed a counterclaim much larger than the amount claimed by MCSN has not been heard and that at no time has the rendering of account been under consideration by His Lordship who did not and could not have made such far-reaching orders at the interlocutory stage in the proceedings.
This deliberately misleading publication does not represent the true developments in court and are in our view terribly mischievous and absolutely contemptuous of the court. Such mischief should not go unaddressed and we shall take necessary steps to bring same to the attention of the court and seek that appropriate sanctions be meted out to the mischief makers.
For the avoidance of doubt, our position in the processes we have filed is that it is MCSN that needs to account to COSON and its members for the royalties it collected over many years with respect to the huge repertoire belonging to the members and affiliates of COSON.
The public is therefore advised to ignore the false and baseless publication aimed at misleading the Nigerian people and international interests in copyright in Nigeria.
FOR CREATIVE LEGAL:
JUSTIN IGE MCIArb
Managing Partner