COSON has received with great shock the news of the death of one of Nigeria’s foremost music publishers, a great Nigerian and a well known music investor, Chief Prince Godwin Aloefuna Davidson Tabansi (Oba Nwawelugo).
Chief Godwin Aloefuna Davison Tabansi better known as G.A.D. Tabansi was a trailblazer and a founding father of the Nigerian music industry. One of Nigeria’s most successful entrepreneurs of the last several decades, Chief Tabansi saw in music a fertile ground before any other meaningful investor in Nigeria.
For several years, the name Tabansi was synonymous with music in Nigeria as Tabansi Studios and record manufacturing plants dominated the industry and gave several Nigerian creative talents the platform to pursue their careers. More than anyone else, Chief Tabansi promoted the business of music in Nigeria. In 1984, Chief Tabansi led the Nigerian Export Promotion Mission to North America and participated in several music industry exhibitions in Europe and America between 1983 and 1988.
Chief Godwin Aloefuna Davison Tabansi was born on April 1, 1932 in the famous town of Nri which is presently in Anocha Local Government Area of Anambra State. For his primary education, GAD Tabansi attended St Mary’s School, Nri and St. Andrew’s School Adazi between 1938 and 1944. His high school education was at the famous Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha which he attended from 1945 to1949. He obtained his Senior Cambridge School Certificate in1950 and proceeded to the Customs & Excise Training School in1951.
Chief Tabansi was during his lifetime a director of Nigeria’s broad based national collective management organisation, copyright society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (COSON).
During his eventful life, he worked very hard at uniting the Nigerian copyright community and seeking a brighter future for the practitioners in the Nigerian music industry.
A truly detribalized Nigerian, GAD Tabansi will not be forgotten for, among many things, his role in seeking to entrench a virile copyright system in Nigeria.
It will be recalled that at the General Meeting announcing the formation of COSON on September 24, 2009, Chief G.A.D. Tabansi in excitement had said, ”with the emergence of COSON, I can comfortably retire from active participation in the industry with the knowledge that the industry is moving in the right direction.”
In reaction to the passing on of Chief Tabansi, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, expressed great sadness and described the late Chief Tabansi as an ”extra-ordinary man who despite his unmatched achievement remained very humble and never out of touch”. In continuation, Chief Okoroji said, hœin the several years that I worked closely with Chief Tabansi, not once did he do anything to remind anyone of his fame, wealth or incredible experience. He was always simple and always a great source of inspiration. The music industry will surely miss his wisdom I hope that the government and people of Anambra State and the people of Nri will co-operate with the many groups touched by this outstanding Nigerian to give him a burial worthy of his towering status.
The board, members and staff of COSON are consoled by the fact that GAD Tabansi left behind great legacies in his contributions in the music industry.
A condolence register has been opened for him at COSON, 18, Mojidi Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
ON BEHALF OF: COPYRIGHT SOCIETY OF NIGERIA
CHINED CHUKWUJI
