the Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria,
IBAN, have stopped airing musical productions
belonging to Chief Ebenezer Obey, 2Face Idibia,
Onyeka Onwenu, Banky W and thousands of other
members of the Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON.
In a statement jointly signed by Sonny Adun and Guy
Murray Bruce, IBAN Chairman and Secretary
respectively, the two bodies said they were
constrained to take this step principally as "a result
of COSON's attitude of antagonism and harassment
under the leadership of Tony Okoroji (COSON
Chairman)".
"No person or organisation, particularly a collection
society such as COSON has a monopoly of authority
over any other…IBAN and BON have the utmost
respect for Nigerian artistes in their individual and
collective capacities and have indeed contributed
more than any known institution to the promotion of
Nigerian music and the development of the
entertainment industry as a whole," the statement
reads.
But in a swift reaction, Okoroji, COSON boss, said his
organisation has read with amusement the empty
threat by the leadership of BON that its affiliate
stations would no longer play the music of Nigerian
citizens on Nigerian stations because Nigerian
musicians are asking for their right to be paid
copyright royalties for the exploitation of their music
as is done in every country in the world.
He said it is only in a country like Nigeria that this
can take place with some people having no regards
for intellectual property.
"The threat by the leadership of BON reveals the
crass ignorance with which some members of BON
have been misled and steered into easily avoidable
crisis. For many years, this people have used 'divide
and rule' tactics and threats to weaken the music
industry and ensure that the industry did not
effectively challenge its exploitation," Okoroji said.
He stated that it is indeed revealing that IBAN/BON
people who pretend to be leaders of the broadcast
industry in Nigeria believe that they can play music
belonging to foreign nationals for free in Nigeria
without any consequence.
"For their information, by the reciprocal
representation agreements entered into between
COSON and several collective management
organisations around the world and the various
copyright conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory,
every broadcast station in Nigeria is bound to pay
copyright royalties for foreign music as it must for
the music belonging to Nigerians. Failure to pay
exposes Nigeria to both economic and diplomatic
sanctions," Okoroji disclosed.
He added that COSON has done everything to
engage broadcasting stations in Nigeria to do what is
done in every other country in a very professional
manner.
"COSON has met with Broadcasting Organisations of
Nigeria (BON), Independent Broadcasting Association
of Nigeria (IBAN), National Broadcasting Commission
(NBC) and practically every major broadcasting
network in Nigeria. While there are broadcasting
stations that have reached agreements with COSON
and are broadcasting music comfortably as required
by law, some other stations have allowed themselves
to be deceived by the empty boast of people who
have told them that they can 'handle' COSON,"
Okoroji added.
But IBAN and BON also said their members are ready
and willing to pay royalties for works used but will
not be railroaded into arbitrarily imposed and
concocted fees which are not based on any agreeable
and verifiable tariff and standards.
"In the circumstance, we are therefore taking steps
in liaison with important stakeholders in the country
to address and hopefully come to a fair and
reasonable resolution of this COSON induced crises,"
IBAN/BON stated.
Other artistes who have their musical productions
prohibited on air include Iyanya, Azizat, D'Banj,
Olamide, Dr. SID, Sammy Okposo, Olu Maintain,
Sunny Neji, Rugged Man, Jasman Olofin, X-Project,
Asa, African China, Terry G, Waje, Omawumi, Sound
Sultan and J Martins.
PMNEWS learnt Prince Emeka Mba, Director General,
National Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, has
waded in.
The NBC boss is said to have called for a negotiated
settlement, wondering how the stations can do away
with works of the affected artistes who are the best
in Nigeria and still meet up with requirement of NBC.
[Source: PM Lagos]
Sent From David Aniemeka
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