For quite some time now, the
Copyrights Society of Nigeria (COSON), has been harassing the
Broadcasting Society of Nigeria (BON) and the
Independent Broadcasting Society of Nigeria, IBAN, insisting that they
pay royalties for playing the songs of Nigerian artists. COSON has
dragged several radio and TV stations to court, demanding millions,
sometimes billions of Naira in royalty.
Well, it seems IBAN and BON have had enough. Two days ago, they
announced the ban of all Nigerian artists registered with COSON. Meaning
that they ordered the immediate stop to the airing of songs of artists
who are COSON members.
The artists include 2face Idibia, D'banj, Onyeka Onwenu, Iyanya, Banky
W, Flavour, Ice Prince, Dr Sid, Olamide, 9ice, M.I, eLDee, Ruggedman,
Wizkid, Asa, Waje, Omawumi and several others.
In a statement released and signed jointly by the President and
Secretary of IBAN, Sonny Adun and Guy Murray Bruce, the need for such a
drastic step was due to "the antagonism and harassment under the
leadership of Tony Okoroji (COSON Chairman)”. Continue...
The statement in part reads "No person or organisation,
particularly a collection society such as
COSON has a monopoly of authority over any other…IBAN and BON have the
utmost respect for Nigerian artistes in their individual and collective
capacities and have indeed contributed more than any known institution
to the promotion of Nigerian music and the development of the
entertainment industry as a whole."
They are
accusing COSON of arbitrarily imposing and concocting fees which are not
based on any agreeable and verifiable tariff and standards.
However
Mr Okoroji while reacting to the decision of the broadcasting bodies
says the issue here is the strict stand COSON has on the royalties of
artist works used on any of the broadcast stations. He says some
stations have this attitude of "we can handle COSON" and goes on airing
the works of the artist without paying them their due royalty which
COSON is strongly against.
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