Tuface Idibia, Banky W And Others Banned By The Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation
This would be a difficult situation to face by these artiste as The
Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, BON, and the Independent
Broadcasting Association of Nigeria, IBAN, have stopped airing musical
productions belonging to the following musicians; Chief Ebenezer Obey,
2Face Idibia, Onyeka Onwenu, Banky W,Iyanya, Azizat, D’Banj, Olamide,
Dr. SID, Sammy Okposo, Olu Maintain, Sunny Neji, Rugged Man, Jasman
Olofin, X-Project, Asa, African China, Terry G, Waje, Omawumi, Sound
Sultan and J Martins.
the two bodies said they were constrained
to take this step principally as “a result of COSON’s attitude of
antagonism and harassment under the leadership of Tony Okoroji (COSON
Chairman)”.
“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,” the statement
reads.
But in a swift reaction, Okoroji, COSON boss, said his
organisation has read with amusement the empty threat by the leadership
of BON that its affiliate stations would no longer play the music of
Nigerian citizens on Nigerian stations because Nigerian musicians are
asking for their right to be paid copyright royalties for the
exploitation of their music as is done in every country in the world.
He said it is only in a country like Nigeria that this can take place
with some people having no regards for intellectual property.
“The
threat by the leadership of BON reveals the crass ignorance with which
some members of BON have been misled and steered into easily avoidable
crisis. For many years, this people have used ‘divide and rule’ tactics
and threats to weaken the music industry and ensure that the industry
did not effectively challenge its exploitation,” Okoroji said.
He stated that it is indeed revealing that IBAN/BON people who pretend
to be leaders of the broadcast industry in Nigeria believe that they can
play music belonging to foreign nationals for free in Nigeria without
any consequence.
He said “For their information, by the
reciprocal representation agreements entered into between COSON and
several collective management organisations around the world and the
various copyright conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory, every
broadcast station in Nigeria is bound to pay copyright royalties for
foreign music as it must for the music belonging to Nigerians. Failure
to pay exposes Nigeria to both economic and diplomatic sanctions,”
Okoroji disclosed.
“COSON has met with Broadcasting Organisations
of Nigeria (BON), Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria
(IBAN), National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and practically every
major broadcasting network in Nigeria. While there are broadcasting
stations that have reached agreements with COSON and are broadcasting
music comfortably as required by law, some other stations have allowed
themselves to be deceived by the empty boast of people who have told
them that they can ‘handle’ COSON,” Okoroji added.
But IBAN and
BON also said their members are ready and willing to pay royalties for
works used but will not be railroaded into arbitrarily imposed and
concocted fees which are not based on any agreeable and verifiable
tariff and standards.
“In the circumstance, we are therefore
taking steps in liaison with important stakeholders in the country to
address and hopefully come to a fair and reasonable resolution of this
COSON induced crises,” IBAN/BON stated.
PMNEWS learnt Prince Emeka Mba, Director General, National Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, has waded in.
The NBC boss is said to have called for a negotiated settlement,
wondering how the stations can do away with works of the affected
artistes who are the best in Nigeria and still meet up with requirement
of NBC.
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