The board of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the country’s solely
approved collective management organization for musical works and sound
recordings, has resolved to go tough on copyright royalty defaulters as the
body disclosed that it would no longer be business as usual for defaulters.
This decision was reached after the body held a strategic meeting on Tuesday,
July 16 in Lagos at which several other critical decisions were taken.
Rising from the meeting, which took place at the board room of the
society in Opebi, Ikeja, a member of the board, Efe Omorogbe said, “we reviewed
the compliance level with respect to music copyright royalty payments in
Nigeria and came to the conclusion that while there are several users who have
shown that they want to play by the rules, there are those who are playing
games.
“They erroneously believe that they can conspire, delay and successfully
confront COSON and continue the era of free music. They are badly mistaken and
clearly do not understand the passion, total determination and zeal that drives
the work of COSON.”
Omorogbe, who is also the CEO of Now Muzik and manager of several top
Nigerian artistes such as 2Face Idibia, J- Martins, Sheyi Shay, Tunde and Wunmi
Obe, Sunny Neji, etc., said further, “those who are ready to work with COSON
will find out that we are very reasonable and friendly. I however assure those
who want a fight that they will badly regret the day they decided to engage
COSON in a fight.”
Another member of the board,
National President, Music Label Owners and Recording Industries Association of
Nigeria (MORAN), Hon. John Ewelukwa Udegbunam, said “the Board has instructed
that we should begin a nationwide mobilization of the members and supporters of
COSON immediately for a historic showdown with those who have shown no respect
for the law and the rights of musicians and investors in the music industry. If
they think we are joking, they will be shocked. We will implement the directive
of the board to the letter. There will be no retreat and no surrender.”
Speaking after the meeting, star artiste and COSON board member, Azeezat
Allen said, “the board identified some people in the broadcast industry, who
believe that they can employ divide and rule tactics and break the unity of the
music industry.
“They obviously do not understand that this is a revolution. COSON has
revealed to Nigerian musicians what is possible. The rapid growth of COSON has
shown that we can successfully run a positive, professional, transparent and
accountable organization in our industry.
“I know some musicians, who have received over a million naira each as
royalty from COSON in the last six months. Before COSON, they were getting
nothing. This is therefore personal. Nobody wants to go back to the days of
old. Those who may have decided to fight COSON surely miscalculated.”
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