History was yet again made on Friday, February 25, 2011 as Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the nation’s sole government approved copyright collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings signed another landmark music copyright licensing agreement with Lagos Television (LTV).
At a ceremony which was held at the board room of LTV in Agidingbi, Ikeja, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji signed on behalf of COSON while Mr. Lekan Ogunbanwo, the Lagos State Permanent Secretary who heads the station, signed on behalf of LTV.
Speaking during the ceremony, Chief Okoroji commended the management of LTV for showing clear respect for the intellectual property rights of creative people in Nigeria as is done by broadcasting stations all over the world. He went on to say that what LTV had done was not only legally right but morally right. According to Chief Okoroji, “the objective of COSON is not only to become the biggest Collective Management Organization (CMO) in the whole of Africa in the shortest possible time but to be the most professionally and transparently run. We remain fully committed to ensuring that every naira in royalty paid to COSON is distributed to the rightful copyright owner according to laid down rules and procedures”
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lekan Ogunbanwo said that LTV is determined to operate under the rule of law and that the signing of the copyright agreement with COSON represented patent evidence of that determination. He said that it was right for owners of intellectual property used by broadcasting stations to benefit from the use of their works.
Among the several top management staff of LTV present at the midday event were Director, Current Affairs, Mr. Ayo Agbesanwa; Director, Programmers, Mr. Babs Fashina; Director, Marketing, Mr. Akeem Adewunmi; Director, News, Mrs. Funke Moore; Director, Administration, Mr. M.O. Akinrinade; Head of Finance, Mr.Lawrence Ojo; Head of Engineering, Mr. Lakin Aina Badejo and Head of Production Services, Alhaji Andu Lukman.
Also in the COSON team were Acting General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji; Head, Licensing, Mr. Ayoola Daramola and Head, Membership & Communication, Miss. Elizabeth Ike.
Chief Okoroji was asked during the ceremony to react to media reports alleging that the election campaign organization of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola had infringed the copyright of a Nigerian artiste, Mr. Zubby Enebeli, by the adaptation of his song, ‘You No Go Know Me’ in Gov. Fashola’s now popular campaign advert.
Responding, the COSON Chairman said, “I wish to state categorically that before adapting the said song, the Fashola Campaign Organization duly applied for and obtained the required copyright licence from COSON and paid the appropriate fee. I also wish to state that Mr. Zubby Enebeli, the copyright owner, has since received full payment of his royalties from COSON in accordance with our commitment to professionalism and accountability to all right owners. By respecting the copyright of this Nigerian citizen, Governor Fashola has shown very good example. He has not assumed that he is above the law and I commend him”
