Mr. James Ononiwu, renowned lawyer to
COSON, Nigeria’s biggest and most successful copyright collective management
organization, has stoutly condemned the recent attack by the leadership of
Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN), of the ongoing distribution of =N=50
Million Naira by COSON to musicians across the country who are traumatized by
the Coronavirus lockdown.
In a swift response to the attack,
Mr. James Ononiwu. Principal Partner in the Lagos law firm of Whitedove
Solicitors, described the attack as “wicked, despicable and evidence of
incurable bad belle”
Mr. Ononiwu wondered how any musician
or anyone who claims to love musicians can find fault with the responsible and
responsive action taken by the leadership of COSON to alleviate the suffering
of their members across the country at a time of their greatest need. Said Mr.
Ononiwu, “the unquestionably positive reactions of hundreds of musicians and
thousands of other Nigerians to the brilliant step taken by the COSON Board can
be found on every social media platform and practically every newspaper in the
land. Many musicians in every state of Nigeria are happy and openly praying for
the leadership of COSON. Why is that disturbing the sleep of these funny people
at MCSN? Did COSON distribute MCSN money? This is not the first or second or
third royalty distribution by COSON, an organization that has distributed
hundreds of millions of naira to its members and commissioned the sparkling and
magnificent COSON House while MCSN has little or nothing to show except never
ending bad belle. Can’t the people at MCSN see that this is no time for their degenerate
brand of politics? What is the business of a CMO if not to collect and
distribute royalties?”
Said the fiery Lagos lawyer, “This a
defining moment in the affairs of man. Across the world, true leaders are being
seen for who they are and retrogrades are also being seen. COSON Chairman,
Chief Tony Okoroji, has once again displayed the attributes of a first-class
leader that has made him a Nigerian icon. His understanding of the situation,
his humanness, decisiveness and the detailed and transparent execution of the
relief distribution will certainly go down in the history of the Nigerian
creative industry and the nation.
“Meanwhile, the leaders of MCSN who
were sleeping while Nigerians have been going through a harrowing experience,
suddenly woke up from their slumber and kick started their usual grumbling and
quarreling and finger pointing and rabble rousing while people are in deep
pain. Can’t they see that this is no time for such nonsense? Don’t these guys
know when to shut up? Don’t they have any milk of human kindness in them at
all? I know that thousands of musicians across Nigeria have received their
royalties while some have not. I wish to assure every COSON member who is yet
to receive his relief royalty that MCSN cannot stop the distribution and that
their money is on the way”
In conclusion, Mr. Ononiwu said, “I
have seen the litany of cases mentioned in the ill-advised press statement
issued by the leadership of MCSN and their jaundiced and self-serving reasoning
and claims. I am a lawyer and I know that in Nigeria, we do not try cases on
social media platforms or blogs. If these guys who have shown no modicum of
empathy for the suffering of the musicians they claim to represent, truly
believe that COSON has done something wrong, let them meet us in court. I and
other COSON lawyers will be waiting for them”.
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