NIGERIAN MUSIC LABEL OWNERS JOIN PMAN TO PROTEST THE CONTINUED ILL TREATMENT OF COSON BY THE NCC

The powerful Music Label Owners & Recording Industries Association of Nigeria (MORAN) has joined the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN), South-East zone, to ask the Director – General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Mr. John Asein, to quickly end the protracted conflict between the NCC and Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).

In a recent letter to the NCC DG copied to COSON and several senior government officials and signed by MORAN’s National President, Mr. Calistus Okeke, the organization wrote as follows:

“When in January 2019, it was announced that you had been appointed the new Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, many of us in MORAN heaved a sigh of relief. We believed that as a result of your appointment, the NCC will be repositioned and that the commission would move away from the unproductive combativeness of your predecessor, Mr. Afam Ezekude. We have indeed looked forward to a concerted effort by you to close ranks with the key partners of the NCC so as to rebuild the copyright system in the country.

“The NCC cannot have any stronger partner than Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) to which most members of MORAN belong and of which members of MORAN are proud. There cannot be any doubt that COSON is the one shining example that the copyright system in Nigeria can work. It is the window of the Nigerian copyright system to the world.

“At MORAN, we believe that you have the skills to end the war which broke out between the NCC and COSON over the attempted insurgency against the leadership of COSON in 2017. We are shocked that the NCC has continued to follow the lead of those of its officers who have promoted the ambition of one individual and his handful of friends over the desire of an entire industry.

“As the commission prepares to celebrate 30 years of its existence, we at MORAN humbly advise that every effort be made by you to quickly end the friction between the NCC and COSON which has gone on for too long. To us, the celebration of 30 years of the NCC without COSON is clearly the celebration of failure.

The letter ended with the words: “For the avoidance of doubt, members of MORAN protest the continued ill treatment of COSON by the NCC and we say that enough is enough.”

It will be recalled that in its own letter to the NCC DG, Mr. John Asein, signed by its leader, Chief Morocco Maduka, the South East PMAN wrote, “Let it be clear that we have no interest in the self-serving machinations of Efe Omorogbe, Toju Ejueyitchie, Pretty Okafor and their clique. These people do not speak for us and the attention being paid to them by the NCC is getting to the point where the entire copyright system will be torn apart irretrievably”.

The association advised the DG to put on his thinking cap and act with wisdom ending with the words, “A stitch in time saves nine”.

FOR COSON:    

PMAN ASKS NCC TO END WAR AGAINST COSON

Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in the South East zone of Nigeria has asked the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Mr. John Asein to bring to an end the almost two-year old war waged by the NCC against Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Africa’s fastest growing copyright collective management organization.

In a recent letter to the Director-General copied to COSON; the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria; the Minister of Information & Culture and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which letter was signed by the PMAN South East Leader and music icon Chief Morroco Maduka, the association said, “we hold very strong opinion that the war embarked by the Nigerian Copyright Commission against Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and its indefatigable Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji should be brought to an end without further delay.
“We wish to place it on record that we are beneficiaries of the work being done by COSON and we believe that COSON will do more if the warm relationship that used to exist between the NCC and COSON is restored. Furthermore, we wish to state that Chief Tony Okoroji, with his deep knowledge of the copyright system, his undisputable dedication to the welfare of our industry and the great respect he commands among us remains an important resource that our nation will discard at significant peril. Put simply, we are very proud of Chief Tony Okoroji and the work he has done for our industry and we will not allow anyone to rubbish him”.

In emphatic language, the South East PMAN wrote, “Let it be clear that we have no interest in the self-serving machinations of Efe Omorogbe, Toju Ejueyitchie, Pretty Okafor and their clique. These people do not speak for us and the attention being paid to them by the NCC is getting to the point where the entire copyright system will be torn apart irretrievably”.
The association advised the DG to put on his thinking cap and act with wisdom ending with the words, “A stitch in time saves nine”.

MEETING YOU: BRIGHT CHIMEZIE ELECTED TO THE COSON BOARD AS OKOR...

MEETING YOU: BRIGHT CHIMEZIE ELECTED TO THE COSON BOARD AS OKOR...: There was heavy singing and dancing at the Banquet Hall of Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja this Monday, May 20, 2019 as stars ...

BRIGHT CHIMEZIE ELECTED TO THE COSON BOARD AS OKOROJI STEPS DOWN AND IS UNANIMOUSLY RE-ELECTED

There was heavy singing and dancing at the Banquet Hall of Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja this Monday, May 20, 2019 as stars of music from different states across the country converged in Lagos for the 9th Annual General Meeting of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) which is by far the nation’s biggest and most successful copyright collective management organization.

At the elections which took place at the AGM, Highlife Star and “Zigima” music exponent, Bright Chimezie was elected for the first time to the COSON Board. Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji, whose term in office expired at the AGM, stepped down both as Chairman and as a Director. He was subsequently unanimously re-elected by the General Assembly in an election which had four top notch lawyers as returning officers.

Also elected to the Board on his own merit was renowned music maker and comedy star, Mr. Koffi Idowu-Nuel, popularly known as Koffi Tha Guru who had until the AGM held the seat on the Board previously held by the late Reggae icon, Ras Kimono who passed on in 2018.

Similarly re-elected to the Board is the musicologist, Hon. John Ewelukwa Udegbunam, a former National President of the powerful Music Label Owners & Recording Industries Association of Nigeria (MORAN).

The 2018 audited accounts and financial report of the society was also reviewed by the members and adopted.

The highlight of the AGM which coincided with the second anniversary of the commissioning of the magnificent COSON HOUSE in Ikeja was the Chairman’s address by Chief Tony Okoroji which received huge intermittent applause from the members with standing ovation at the end.

Said Okoroji, “At Lagos Sheraton Hotel today, I can see my brethren in music and music industry personalities from every nook and cranny of Nigeria. I wish to emphasize that it is our different characters, ages, experiences and unique locations that make COSON a truly national institution. The strength of COSON lies with all of you, in every state of the Nigerian nation where you come from as long as music is played there. It truly does not matter whether you play hip hop, highlife, fuji, juju, gospel, reggae, bongo, kalango, ikwokirikwo or whatever. As long you compose music, perform music or invest in music, COSON belongs to you.

“I am sure that many are surprised that with everything that has been thrown at us, COSON is working. COSON is working because we have built an institution with significant resilience and strong roots. COSON is working because there is trust and confidence between the members and the leaders. COSON is working not just because of our 100% dedication to the cause but because of the blessings and grace of the Almighty.

“I have read countless publications in which incredibly defamatory things have been said about me and facts twisted so badly to run me down. I have endured them because of my commitment to our cause and my determination that COSON should not go the way of PMAN.

“Distinguished members of COSON, my dedication to the COSON cause is not because of a title or because of personal wealth. My official car for much of 2018 was one rickety 20-year old Toyota Camry and later on, one 16-year old Honda Pilot. I do not live in a house provided by COSON. No member of my family goes to a hospital provided by COSON. I do not go on a vacation on the bill of COSON. I have spared myself no suffering or inconvenience because of my dedication to the COSON cause because I verily believe that the true worth of a man is not in what he takes but in what he gives”.

Continuing, Chief Okoroji said, “In commissioning COSON House, it appears that we commissioned envy, jealousy, covetousness, blackmail and the grab-grab madness of some Nigerians. Some of those who were sleeping while we built COSON cannot sleep anymore. They are awake plotting how to take over the place or to destroy it and destroy us. Those who had no time for us as we labored, suddenly have so much time for COSON. Day after day, they talk about nothing but COSON. They are working every day to hijack COSON or destabilize it. They have connived with their friends to hound us and use their people in various banks to shut down our accounts. They are so determined to keep for themselves that which we have built for thousands of the musicians of Nigeria.
“Since then, what have they not done to hijack COSON or bring us down? They tried to foist a leader on COSON and you, the members said absolute no. When that failed, they announced that our licence had been suspended and a court of law told them, ‘not so fast!’. Then, they organized to freeze our accounts in different banks and the courts told the banks to stop the none sense. Then, they tried to lock us up in prison. Now, that too has failed miserably. Shamelessly, a handful of people have shown desperation in their unending effort to hijack for themselves an institution we have built without one kobo of government money to protect the rights of innocent musicians and provide support and joy to thousands of people in our industry. They have unleashed the power of man to try and destroy the work of God. They want to grab the greatest organization ever built by creative people in Nigeria. The power of God however is always greater than the power of man. By the grace of the Almighty, the harder they come, the harder they will continue to fall”.

Amidst thunderous applause, Chief Okoroji declared to COSON members that what happened to PMAN will not happen to COSON.

Among the many stars present at the AGM were the revered music legend Prof (Sir) Victor Uwaifo, the Afro Juju creator, Sir Shina Peters, Reggae Star, Righteous Man, Gospel Crooner, Kenny Saint Best; Chris Mba of the “Baby Don’t Cry” fame; guitar wizard, Feladay, US based music star, Alabama and Owerri based Highlife Star, Ugo Stevenson. Also present were the current National President of Music Label Owners & Recording Industries Association of Nigeria (MORAN), Mr. Calistus Okeke; National President of Music Producers & Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN), Engr Sharon Esco Wilson and Chairman of Billtop Group, Dr Ben Ofoeze.
Immediately after the AGM, the reconstituted COSON Management Board made up of Sir Shina Peters, Ms Kenny Saint Brown, Mr Richard Cole. Ms. Maureen Ejezie Uso, Engineer Sharon Esco Wilson, Mr. Bright Chimezie, Mr. Kofi Idowu Nuel, Mr. Uche Emeka Paul, Evangelist Olusegun Omoyayi and Chief Tony Okoroji met at Lagos Sheraton and Chief Okoroji was re-elected Chairman.

The 9th COSON AGM may have come and gone but the reverberations will be felt for a long time to come.

COSON FLOORS FIRST BANK & NCC AT LAGOS HIGH COURT OVER UNAUTHORIZED FREEZING OF ACCOUNT

An Ikeja High Court Judge, Justice Y.R. Pinheiro has this Tuesday, May 14, 2019 struck out the Interpleader Action brought by First Bank (Nig.) Ltd against COSON over the freezing of the bank accounts of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) by First Bank. By the decision of the court, COSON has regained full access to all its funds at First Bank.

COSON’s counsel, Mr. James Ononiwu of the Whitedove Solicitors had applied to the court to strike out the Interpleader action of First Bank saying that the bank did not disclose any cause of action in the suit and that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

In her judgment, the learned trial judge agreed with Mr. Ononiwu that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter as no real dispute between the officers of COSON had been established by First bank.. She discountenanced the counter affidavit of the Nigerian Copyright Commission stating that her court had no jurisdiction to entertain the issues of copyright brought by the NCC.

In opposing the First Bank summons, the General Manager of COSON, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji in his affidavit stated that COSON is a private company limited by guarantee and not a government agency and that First Bank without any lawful order of court froze the accounts of COSON purportedly as a result of a letter from the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) when the bank knows that the NCC is not a court of law and does not have any powers under the law to give any directives to freeze the accounts of COSON and that the NCC is not in a position to determine who the signatories to the bank accounts of COSON should be.

There was wild jubilation at COSON House in Ikeja following the judgment. Celebrating the judgment, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji who was in court when the judgment was read said, “At COSON, we are taking the Nigerian nation through an important civics lesson. The fulcrum of that lesson is that in a democracy, no one, no matter how big, is above the law, whether you are Frist Bank, NCC or whatever else. I know that before now many people had made many assumptions not backed by facts or by the law. We are patiently using the courts to define the truth. The courts are answering the questions. Those who know me well know that I am a great believer in the rule of law and the legal system. COSON was built on the foundation of the rule of law. I firmly believe that the recent legal developments will make the powers of everyone clearer and our industry more professional and stable. I call on COSON members wherever they are to celebrate. The victory is yours. I am confident that the decision places us in a better position to generate more solid income for the practitioners and the nation for many years to come. It takes a lot of patience to do what we are doing. I am humbled to be part of this process”.