AGF MALAMI IN ANOTHER BIG SCANDAL!

COSON WANTS FEDERAL ATTORNEY-GENERAL ABUBAKAR MALAMI CALLED TO ORDER

The General Assembly of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) which met in Lagos on December 19 has condemned in very strong terms the brazen actions of the Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami in ordering the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), despite the Commission’s strong protestations, to blatantly go against Nigerian law and approve an organization called MCSN to collect copyright royalties on behalf of innocent Nigerian musicians, while the Attorney-General knows that MCSN together with its leadership are facing seven different criminal cases at the Federal High Court which cases were filed by the same NCC, an agency of the Federal Government. The Assembly described the action of the Attorney-General as defying common sense while warning that Nigeria is not a Banana Republic and Mr. Abubakar Malami cannot be law on to himself.

The COSON General Assembly has also called on President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Assembly, the National Judicial Council, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to take necessary steps to save the Nigerian creative industry from the meddling of Mr. Abubakar Malami and the raging fire lit by him and ensure that MCSN and the seven members of its leadership presently on bail and facing seven different criminal cases at the Federal High Court are fully prosecuted and no steps whatsoever are taken to let any of the accused persons escape justice through the back door.

The General Assembly also forcefully condemned the heavy-handed actions to harass, arm-twist, intimidate and blackmail a Federal High Court Judge, Justice Ibrahim Bubba, which actions twice aborted his attempt to deliver Judgment in the case brought by COSON against MCSN and the Attorney-General of the Federation challenging the dubious approval of MCSN. The Assembly described the intimidation of Justice Bubba as a dangerously frightening effort to muzzle the Nigerian judiciary which development must be condemned by all lawyers, judges and every self-respecting Nigerian citizen.

The COSON Assembly stated that in a nation in which courts regularly rule against governors and even the Federal Government, MCSN and the Attorney-General of the Federation cannot be above the law and that the case file taken from Justice Ibrahim Bubba of the Federal High Court, Lagos just as he was about to deliver judgment in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1259/2017 should be returned to the Judge immediately and that Justice Bubba should be allowed to deliver judgment as he deems fit in the case because justice delayed is justice denied. The Assembly said that any party in the case dissatisfied with the judgement of Justice Ibrahim Bubba, including COSON, can thereafter go to the Court of Appeal to seek a reversal of the judgment.

The Assembly has also demanded the immediate return of the Nigerian Copyright Commission to the supervision of the Minister charged with responsibility for culture as clearly prescribed in Section 51 of the Copyright Act and bring to an end the continued anomaly created by the supervision of the Copyright Commission by the Minister of Justice, a situation which is expressly against the provisions of the law and which has resulted in the meddling of the Minister of Justice and caused enormous problems for the Nigerian creative industry.

COSON WANTS FEDERAL ATTORNEY-GENERAL ABUBAKAR MALAMI CALLED TO ORDER

The General Assembly of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) which met in Lagos on December 19 has condemned in very strong terms the brazen actions of the Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami in ordering the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), despite the Commission’s strong protestations, to blatantly go against Nigerian law and approve an organization called MCSN to collect copyright royalties on behalf of innocent Nigerian musicians, while the Attorney-General knows that MCSN together with its leadership are facing seven different criminal cases at the Federal High Court which cases were filed by the same NCC, an agency of the Federal Government. The Assembly described the action of the Attorney-General as defying common sense while warning that Nigeria is not a Banana Republic and Mr. Abubakar Malami cannot be law on to himself.

The COSON General Assembly has also called on President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Nigerian Bar Association, the National Assembly, the National Judicial Council, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to take necessary steps to save the Nigerian creative industry from the meddling of Mr. Abubakar Malami and the raging fire lit by him and ensure that MCSN and the seven members of its leadership presently on bail and facing seven different criminal cases at the Federal High Court are fully prosecuted and no steps whatsoever are taken to let any of the accused persons escape justice through the back door.

The General Assembly also forcefully condemned the heavy-handed actions to harass, arm-twist, intimidate and blackmail a Federal High Court Judge, Justice Ibrahim Bubba, which actions twice aborted his attempt to deliver Judgment in the case brought by COSON against MCSN and the Attorney-General of the Federation challenging the dubious approval of MCSN. The Assembly described the intimidation of Justice Bubba as a dangerously frightening effort to muzzle the Nigerian judiciary which development must be condemned by all lawyers, judges and every self-respecting Nigerian citizen.

The COSON Assembly stated that in a nation in which courts regularly rule against governors and even the Federal Government, MCSN and the Attorney-General of the Federation cannot be above the law and that the case file taken from Justice Ibrahim Bubba of the Federal High Court, Lagos just as he was about to deliver judgment in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1259/2017 should be returned to the Judge immediately and that Justice Bubba should be allowed to deliver judgment as he deems fit in the case because justice delayed is justice denied. The Assembly said that any party in the case dissatisfied with the judgement of Justice Ibrahim Bubba, including COSON, can thereafter go to the Court of Appeal to seek a reversal of the judgment.

The Assembly has also demanded the immediate return of the Nigerian Copyright Commission to the supervision of the Minister charged with responsibility for culture as clearly prescribed in Section 51 of the Copyright Act and bring to an end the continued anomaly created by the supervision of the Copyright Commission by the Minister of Justice, a situation which is expressly against the provisions of the law and which has resulted in the meddling of the Minister of Justice and caused enormous problems for the Nigerian creative industry.

FOR COSON:

CHINEDU CHUKWUJI
General Manager

SINGING AND DANCING AT COSON HOUSE AS OKOROJI RETURNS AS CHAIRMAN

It was celebration galore at COSON House in Ikeja on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 as members of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) from different parts of the country met at the COSON General Assembly and restored Chief Tony Okoroji as Chairman of the society. There was singing, dancing and prayers to the Almighty as Chief Okoroji who was initially absent from the meeting arrived the COSON House Arena following the demand of the members and a long telephone conversation initiated by music icon, Prof (Sir) Victor Uwaifo, who chaired the General Assembly. Upon his arrival, Chief Okoroji received a tumultuous welcome from the COSON members.

The meeting which was attended by several icons of the music industry from different parts of the country resolved that the very sudden purported change of the Chairmanship of the Management Board of COSON on December 7, 2017, just 12 days to the EGM, under bizarre circumstances, be condemned and annulled by the COSON General Assembly.

The COSON General Assembly clarified that Chief Okoroji of whom the members of COSON across Nigeria have the greatest respect and confidence in, remains the Chairman of the Management Board of COSON.

The meeting had the entire COSON building overflowing with stakeholders in the music industry and had in attendance such personalities as Prof (Sir) Victor Uwaifo, Sir Shina Peters, Ras Kimono, Kenny Saint Best, Azeezat Allen, Hon John Ewelukwa Udegbunam, Prince Biodun Eguakhide, etc. The COSON members commended Chief Tony Okoroji for his humility, maturity and comportment in the face of perfidy. They praised his vision and incomparable sacrifice towards the growth of the Nigerian creative industry and for making COSON the most transparent and accountable organization in the history of the Nigerian creative industry.

The COSON General Assembly also commended the former President of PMAN for leading COSON in the middle of a biting recession in Nigeria to the building and commissioning of the magnificent COSON House, the first and only such property belonging to any organization in the Nigerian creative industry, an edifice built without any money from the government or any other institution, foreign or local and without any loan from any bank.

Accepting the decision of the General Assembly, Chief Okoroji said that he is humbled by the love of the members of COSON and holds no animosity against anyone as a result of what had transpired in COSON and that as a father he knows that in any family, what happened recently in COSON would happen from time to time. He said that even though he disagreed with the process through which a handful of the members of the Board conspired to remove him, he had decided before the call from Prof Uwaifo to move on and continue to serve the Nigerian creative community in his private capacity. He commended the members for quickly stepping in and resolving the issues and positioning COSON for much greater achievements in 2018.

The COSON Chairman thanked the members for their confidence in him and assured them that as a committed democrat, under no circumstance would he fail them or betray the Nigerian creative community.

The meeting also resolved that the sum of Two Hundred & Six Million Naira (N206,000,000.00) be distributed to members and affiliates of COSON whose names appear in the register as at May 19, 2017.

JOHN EWELUKWA UDEGBUNAM ALONG OTHERS HONORED BY THE NATIONAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP MINISTRY OF THE CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL OF NIGERIA (CCRN)

JOHN EWELUKWA  UDEGBUNAM ALONG OTHERS HONORED BY THE N

ATIONAL PRAISE  AND WORSHIP MINISTRY OF THE CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL OF NIGERIA (CCRN)

It was a great event at the National service Center of the  Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria on July 1,2017, during the National Praise and Worship ministry Music Seminar/ Workshop when a great gospel musician, singer, instrumentalist, sound engineer, film editor, music couch. Composer, preacher etc., was honored with a meritorious award alongside  other great men and women of God

John Ewelukwa Udegbunam’s home Diocese is Awka, but resides in Onitsha Archdiocese under Onitsha province.

JOHN EWELUKWA UDEGBUNAM’S PAST POST IN THE CCRN

*Onitsha Archdiocesan CCRN secretary

*Onitsha Provincial secretary – 1995 – 2002

* National CCRN PRO – 1995 – 2002

*National Conference Chairman – 2006

*The first National Praise and Worship Ministry Co-coordinator – 2002 – 2007

*The first Onitsha Provincial Praise and Worship Ministry Co-coordinator – 2002 – 2008

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION

*He represented CCRN youths with others in Domus Pacis,Italy in 1985 on International Youth Consultation

*One of the facilitators at the International CCR Music Seminar in Ghana, coordinated by Mark Nino

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

He wrote the following National Conference Anthems.

* Lagos – 1997- Jesus the bread of life

*Jos – 2000 – Jesus the triumphant King of ages

*Benin – 2003 – Let the !re of the Holy Spirit fall Again

*NSC – Ubulu-uku -2006 – Behold your Redeemer

MUSIC ALBUM

He organized and produced the first National Gospel Music and video album

CURRENT POSITION

* National music director

He held and still holding different positions in politics,social life,music industry etc.A man of many branches