Nigerian Copyright Commission licenses the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria as a collecting society

Copyright: Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria 

In compliance with the Honourable Attorney General and Minister of Justice’s directive, the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has finally issued an approval to operate a Collective Management Organization (Collecting Society) to the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN).

In the letter dated April 3, 2017, reference NCC/DG/074/X11/574 and signed by the Director General of the NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude, the Commission referred to the directive of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, of 22nd March 2017 pursuant to Section 50 of the Copyright Act, Cap C28, LFN 2004 to convey the Commission’s approval to MCSN to operate as a collective management organisation for musical works and sound recordings in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that MCSN had in 2009 applied to the NCC for it to be approved as collecting management organization but the Commission in a letter dated May 20, 2010 refused MCSN’s application without giving any reason. The refusal infuriated MCSN, which approached to the Federal High Court to quash the decision. 

MCSN also approached the National Assembly which directed its joint committees on Justice and Judiciary to look into the matter. The Joint Committees conducted an investigative Public Hearing at which it was established that MCSN was unjustly refused approval and the National Assembly passed series of resolutions, one of which was the directive to the NCC to approve/license MCSN to operate as a collecting society forthwith. The NCC however refused to carry out the National Assembly’s directive.

With the coming of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, MCSN once again took its complaint to the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who after another round of investigation agreed with the findings and resolution of the National Assembly and directed the NCC to “issue with immediate effect, an approval by way of license to the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria Ltd/Gte (MCSN) to operate as a collecting society for the purpose of the Copyright Act.

The NCC’s compliance would apparently bring a crisis which has ravaged the copyright sector for more than 25 years to an effective end and the sector can now start to deliver the full dividends of creativity to the individual musicians, artistes, writers, producers, citizens at large and the Government.

Culled from the MCSN Facebook page.

Between Mr. Ope Banwo and Chief Tony Okoroji

Dr Ope Banwo to Tony Okoroji: 
''I dare YOU to file that Libel Lawsuit! I am extremely shocked that after Tony Okoroji's COSON staff assaulted me in their premises during my well intentioned (sic) visit to their office to discuss industry issues with Chief Tony Okoroji and ask him why he was against competition in the music copyright collection regime in Nigeria, he would have the audacity to ask his lawyers to write me and demand I apologize for my visit and the pointed questions to him posted on my wall thereafter.

'I am not sure whether Mr. Tony Okoroji considered me a coward who would could be threatened into silence, or someone who would be afraid of a lawsuit, for daring to ask for answers, but I want to publicly assure him that nothing would please me more than a lawsuit to clarify many of the issues that have confounded Nigerians on this matter of Music Copyright collection in Nigeria.

'As Tony Okoroji very well know, I am an investor in the Nigerian music industry with millions of naira invested through my record label and definitely have grounds to visit the public office of COSON to ask questions (after all COSON has the sole copyright licensee has been alleged to be collecting royalties on behalf of ALL Nigerian artistes and we at Stingomania Records have never for once been given, a cheque or an explanation by Mr Tony Okoroji on the distribution of royalties due to my own artistes, if any, from the monies he has collected).

'So, if Tony Okoroji is upset that I would come over to his office to demand answers, or ask why he is against competition in music copyright collection in Nigeria, or to ask him pointed questions about why he is engaging in a campaign to discredit the Attorney General for licensing MCSN as a copyright society and opening up copyright collection to competition in Nigeria, I would welcome his lawsuit to clarify these issues. 

'He should also get ready to answer questions concerning his stewardship not just of COSON for the last 7 years, but his role in the music industry for the last 30 years''.

Culled from Mr. Ope Banwo's Facebook page.