In what could have once been described as impossible, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) on May 21, 2014 at Eko Hotel& Suites, Lagos signed a historic music copyright royalty agreement with the entire broadcasting industry in Nigeria.

It was celebrations galore at the star studded signing ceremony attended by the Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Emeka Mba; Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission, Mr. Afam Ezekude; Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Abubakar Jijiwa who is also Chairman of the 400 member Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria, and several other top government officials.

The event brought to an end the prolonged disagreement between the music and broadcast industries in Nigeria spanning over 30 years which culminated in a major crisis in the last quarter of 2013.

It will be recalled that following the back-to-back and significantly publicized copyright infringement law suits filed by COSON against some of Nigeria’s topmost broadcasting stations in 2013, the stations under the aegis of Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON) and Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria (IBAN) announced the suspension of the broadcast of the music of nearly all the best known members of COSON on radio and TV stations across Nigeria. This resulted in massive public outcry across the country followed by an all-out media war between the music and broadcast industries.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the NBC DG, Mr. Emeka Mba who commended the Chairman of COSON, Chief Tony Okoroji for what he described as Chief Okoroji’s doggedness and commitment to the respect of Intellectual property rights in the Nigerian creative industry, said, ” This historic event isn’t just about the Nigerian music industry but the creative industry at large. This is about the respect of intellectual property in Nigeria. Let us all see this as thebeginning of better things to come for the Nigerian creative industry. This goes to tell other sectors that have been abusing creativity that the time is up. ”

The Chief Negotiator in the BON/IBAN/COSON/NBC/NCC Joint Committee, Mr. Mac Emakpore thanked the parties for bringing to an end a crisis that according to him threatened the growth of the creative industry in Nigeria. He said, “Several meetings down the line in the midst of heated arguments, we have finally come up with this document which is being signed today. I give God all the glory for this progress made in the history of Nigeria.”