The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has wielded its big hammer on popular sports radio station in Nigeria, Brila FM owned by veteran sports journalist, Larry Izamoje. The Tony Okoroji-led COSON instituted a N1.14 billion lawsuit against the Frequency Modulated (FM) station for allegedly infringing on the intellectual properties of music artistes in Nigeria without paying royalties.
In a suit No FHC/L/CS/1391/13 filed on behalf of COSON by its lawyer, KC Okolocha Esq., the collecting body expressed sadness with Brila FM for failing to pay its artistes royalties despite making ‘massive advertising revenue and profit from the unauthorized copying of the musical works and sounds recordings belonging to COSON members, affiliates, assignors and licensors and consequently the defendants have continued to expand their capacity by setting up new stations across the country’, a statement from COSON stated.
COSON further accused the radio station of caused some Nigerian musicians to die in penury due to their alleged failure to pay them their royalties.
They listed such artistes to be the late Sunny Okosuns, the late Oliver De Coque, the late Stephen Osita Osadebe, the late Nelly Uchendu, the late Christy Essien-Igbokwe, the late Jim Rex Lawson, the late Ayinla Omoruwa, the late Orlando Owoh, the late Celestine Ukwu, and the late Fatai Rolling Dollar amongst others.
COSON is also asking the court to restrain the defendants, their agents, privies or servants from the unauthorized copying, communication to the public or broadcasting any of the musical works or sound recordings belong to the members of affiliates, assignors and licensors of COSON.
© 2013 Nigeriafilms.com
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