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Tag: copyright

  • Copyright colloquium highlights importance of compliance for business sustainability

    Copyright colloquium highlights importance of compliance for business sustainability

    As part of activities marking the 2025 Africa Copyright and Collective Management Day, the Audio – Visual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS), in collaboration with NCC, WIPO, CISAC and MCSN recently hosted the Colloquium on Copyright Licensing for Public Performance.

     Held at the UBEC Digital Centre, Abuja, the colloquium brought together regulators, rights holders, industry stakeholders, tourism operators, and members of the creative community to engage in a robust discussion on how copyright compliance can be repositioned as a strategic investment in business sustainability.

    The event opened with a welcome address by the Director General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr. John Asein, who emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between the government, creative industry operators, and collective management organisations to ensure effective licensing practices in Nigeria.

    Delivering the keynote, DG, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Chief Obi Asika stressed the centrality of music to business growth: “Music is not free — it’s fair trade. We are connected and cannot be separated. Music contributes directly to your business success, and it is time for fair compensation, as happens everywhere else in the world. Licensing is never expensive — it’s about getting everyone into the net so the system works for all.”

    Hospitality and legal expert, Chief Samuel Alabi, highlighted challenges and solutions in copyright compliance: “It is rather unfortunate that many prospective licensees are still dilly-dallying with compliance. Such practices only lead to prohibitive tariffs and litigation costs.”

    Special remarks were also delivered by Mr. Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Chairman of AVRS; Pupa Oritz Wiliki, Chairman of MCSN; Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Director-General of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB); and Mr. Richard Esewhaye Ovie, Acting Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA). The international dimension was underscored by the participation of Dr. Moody Oluwatobiloba, Director at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

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    The hospitality and tourism industry were represented by Mr. Emeka Ezekwesili, President of the Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA), and Dr. Aliyu Badaki, President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN).

    From the Nollywood community, leading actors including Monalisa Chinda, Ejike Asiegbu, Makama Sani Muazu and Francis Duru lent their voices to the discussions, underscoring the importance of copyright compliance for the sustainability of Nigeria’s film and creative industries.

    The Colloquium also featured two technical workshop sessions facilitated by intellectual property experts, Barrister Michael O. Akpan and Dr. Chinedu A. Chukwuji, who delivered practical insights on compliance and its business benefits.

    In recognition of their immense contributions to advancing public performance compliance culture in Nigeria, plaques of appreciation were presented to the keynote and guest speakers, as well as to the workshop facilitators.

  • Plug Music, PRS collaborate on copyright, songwriting discourse

    Plug Music, PRS collaborate on copyright, songwriting discourse

    Plug Music, the music management, distribution, publishing, and licensing arm of The Plug, has teamed up with the Performing Rights Society (PRS) for Music, the UK music royalty collective, to organise a groundbreaking event aimed at educating and empowering songwriters and music professionals in Nigeria.

    Themed ‘Protecting Your Copyright – Songwriting’, the conversations will take place on Saturday, November 25, at the Admiralty Conference Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Speaking on the momentous collaboration with PRS for Music, Abiodun ‘Bizzle’ Osikoya, Managing Partner at The Plug, emphasised the importance of equipping industry contributors with the necessary tools to safeguard their creative works effectively.

    He said: “This discourse represents a unique opportunity for Nigerian managers, artists and songwriters alike to coalesce and engage in productive deliberations on how we can adapt global best practices as the global relevance of our local content continues to scale.

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    “At a time when Afrobeats has become the soundtrack to the world’s dance floor, we must play our part as industry leaders by educating music creators. By championing copyright protection, we are also investing in the growth of our entire industry. It is through meaningful conversations and collaborative efforts that we can help empower creators to continue shaping our cultural landscape and inspire future generations,” Osikoya remarked.

    The session will host an impressive line-up of seasoned professionals including  Michelle Escoffery, President of PRS for Music’s Member’s Council;  Jacqueline Pelham-Leiigh, Senior Membership and Development Lead (Africa), PRS for Music; Bizzle Osikoya,  Managing Partner at The Plug, as well as fast-rising songwriter, and producer, Bloody Civilian.

    Other notable panelists include Plug Music’s Ayomide Tayo (AOT2) and Tola Bello; Kizito Ahams, Licensing and Publishing Manager, Mavin Records;  Tope Salami, Entertainment Lawyer, and founder of Whitestone Solicitors and Consultancy; Ibukun ‘Aibee’ Abidoye, Executive Vice-President of Music, Chocolate City Music & founder, Nahla Initiative, and Olayiwola Olajumoke, Entertainment Consultant, Lawyer and Music Executive.

  • MUSON scholars receive training on copyright

    Using a variety of local and foreign case studies, legal experts have educated MUSON scholars on the fundamentals of intellectual property rights, discussing its benefits and possible consequences of its negligence.

    The first in the quarterly series themed “Copyright & Intellectual Property Protection”, the event held at the Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre, Lagos.

    Speaking on the new initiative, Nonny Ugboma, Executive Secretary of MTN Foundation, stated, “We have a long-term commitment to the development of young talent, as demonstrated through our interventions over the years.

    “Last year, we sponsored a masterclass with the renowned countertenor, Daniel Taylor and soprano impresario, Ellen McAteer for all students of the MUSON School of Music; our desire to see well-rounded music professionals who are skilful, and understand the business of music led us to introduce this workshop series for participants in the music scholarship programme. The workshops will help prepare the scholars for the real world.”

    Commenting on the intervention, Princess Banke Ademola, Director, School of Music, MUSON, appreciated the Foundation, reminded attendees at the inaugural workshop that, “What MTN Foundation is offering is critical learning often overlooked or unavailable to aspiring artistes. It’s difficult to find words to express my delight that beyond supporting the scholarship programme, MTN Foundation, is providing this opportunity.”

    The collaboration between MTN Foundation and MUSON dates back to 2006, with the initiation of a scholarship programme that has produced hundreds of graduates from the MUSON School of Music, who are currently achieving laudable feats in various spheres of arts and culture globally.

  • COSON storms Enugu for music copyright royalty enforcement

    COSON storms Enugu for music copyright royalty enforcement

    Last week, the Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, led a music copyright royalty enforcement team to Enugu to ensure that, henceforth all users of music in public and commercial settings in Enugu State get appropriate copyright licence or face the wrath of the law.

    Other members of the team included Mr. Uche Stanley Onowo, COSON Enugu State Copyright Royalty Licensing Consultant; Prince Biodun Eguakhide, COSON Edo/Delta State Copyright Royalty Licensing Consultant, Ms. Christabel Odiase, the team’s Media Coordinator and a squad of armed mobile policemen.

    While visiting various hotels, events centers and clubs in Enugu, Chief Okoroji said that in 2018 and beyond, music must pay the songwriters, performers, publishers and investors in the Nigerian music industry and contribute significantly to the growth of the nation’s economy. The COSON Chairman said that with the setting up of the COSON Rapid Response Legal Team made up of eight of the nation’s foremost intellectual property law firms, there is no place anymore for any music copyright royalty defaulter to hide.

    At Bon Hotel Sunshine, one of Enugu’s topmost new hotels, the COSON royalty enforcement team was received by the entire management team of the hotel led by Mr. Stanley Nwakwe, the Operations Manager. Addressing the Bon Hotel Management, Chief Okoroji said that anyone running a hospitality facility in Nigeria now must understand that one of the critical inputs towards the success of the facility is good entertainment which is produced by some people at some cost and which like every other input needs to be adequately paid for.

    He commended the management for the high-quality facilities at Bon Hotel Sunshine and said that he is looking forward to the hotel being a trail blazer in music copyright royalty compliance in Enugu State and the establishment of a good working relationship between COSON and Bon Hotel Sunshine. According to Chief Okoroji, such a relationship can only produce a win-win result for both parties.

  • Toyin Lawani fights for copyright

    Toyin Lawani fights for copyright

    Celebrity designer, Toyin Lawani, also known as Tiannah, is at loggerhead with a young designer, who mass-produced one of her Elegante designs and used her picture in the collage.

    Expressing how peeved she was, the CEO of Tiannah Empire said she will use all within her power to protect her designs from being duplicated and sold.

    “This people Need to stop messing up my work,” she wrote on Instagram.

    “Gosh, they need to stop using my beautiful pictures to sell this mess.”

    However, a follower of hers, giftedfingerswigs, explained that most people cannot afford her high price.

    “I am not disputing the fact that it’s not yours,” wrote giftedfingerswigs.

    “You have been my role model from day one. And I look up to. But do you know too many people can’t afford your wears, but they love it. And I never knew they used your picture as the collage. I thought you collage the picture to show us the difference and for those who feel they can produce the design for clients who cannot afford hers.”

    The single mother of two has called on the designers to use their creative minds to do something better and not ruin her work for her clients.

    “When I see copies of my dress looking like hanger ibo, I roll on the floor,” she wrote.

    “It’s meant to be a good thing when people copy your work, but I’m sorry it’s a no for me and my prestigious clients, who will buy the dress for 220k from you when they see it at Ketu Ojota bus top. This needs to stop in Nigeria. If you want to copy why not switch it around a bit or better still copy it right, yack this is totally disgusting.”

    Lawani also said that the young designer insulted her person by using her picture to promote the mass production.

    “That’s my picture on far right,” she wrote.

    “They did the collage, I never did, and have your ever seen this design back in the days? I used my brain, they should use theirs, it’s so sweet in you people’s mouth to say it’s not a big deal, because you do the same from magazines.

    “But it’s wrong on all levels to ruin someone’s hard earn work like this. When it happens to you, you will know how it feels, keep supporting nonsense, this makes Nigeria even worse than it is. Did they tell you I didn’t know how to mass-produce, but my creations are exclusive, my styles standout. That’s what my clients pay millions for. Then they set into a party and start seeing every Tom, Dick and Harry wear a rubbish copy of it.”

  • Toyin Lawani fights for copyright

    Toyin Lawani fights for copyright

    Celebrity designer, Toyin Lawani, also known as Tiannah, is at loggerhead with a young designer, who mass-produced one of her Elegante designs and used her picture in the collage.

    Expressing how peeved she was, the CEO of Tiannah Empire said she will use all within her power to protect her designs from being duplicated and sold.

    “This people Need to stop messing up my work,” she wrote on Instagram.

    “Gosh, they need to stop using my beautiful pictures to sell this mess.”

    However, a follower of hers, giftedfingerswigs, explained that most people cannot afford her high price.

    “I am not disputing the fact that it’s not yours,” wrote giftedfingerswigs.

    “You have been my role model from day one. And I look up to. But do you know too many people can’t afford your wears, but they love it. And I never knew they used your picture as the collage. I thought you collage the picture to show us the difference and for those who feel they can produce the design for clients who cannot afford hers.”

    The single mother of two has called on the designers to use their creative minds to do something better and not ruin her work for her clients.

    “When I see copies of my dress looking like hanger ibo, I roll on the floor,” she wrote.

    “It’s meant to be a good thing when people copy your work, but I’m sorry it’s a no for me and my prestigious clients, who will buy the dress for 220k from you when they see it at Ketu Ojota bus top. This needs to stop in Nigeria. If you want to copy why not switch it around a bit or better still copy it right, yack this is totally disgusting.”

    Lawani also said that the young designer insulted her person by using her picture to promote the mass production.

    “That’s my picture on far right,” she wrote.

    “They did the collage, I never did, and have your ever seen this design back in the days? I used my brain, they should use theirs, it’s so sweet in you people’s mouth to say it’s not a big deal, because you do the same from magazines.

    “But it’s wrong on all levels to ruin someone’s hard earn work like this. When it happens to you, you will know how it feels, keep supporting nonsense, this makes Nigeria even worse than it is. Did they tell you I didn’t know how to mass-produce, but my creations are exclusive, my styles standout. That’s what my clients pay millions for. Then they set into a party and start seeing every Tom, Dick and Harry wear a rubbish copy of it.”

  • OKOROJI TALKS TOUGH ON COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

    OKOROJI TALKS TOUGH ON COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

    THE Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Tony Okoroji, has said that there will be no hiding place for telecommunication companies operating in Nigeria who do not respect the intellectual property rights of creative people whose works these companies exploit for profit.

    Speaking at the COSON Stakeholders’ Forum which took place in Ibadan on September 8, Okoroji said that henceforth, telcos will not be granted a copyright safe haven in Nigeria.

    According to the former president of PMAN, in the digital age, the telecommunication companies have become first line players in the distribution of music. He insisted that it will be suicidal for the music industry not to insist that these companies play within the rules and in accordance with the law.

    Okoroji said that since COSON decided to take to court the matter of the horrendous copyright infringement engaged in by some of the telecommunication companies, the companies have resorted to ‘cheap and unimpressive blackmail and divide and rule tactics’.

    “Some of the telcos have begun to issue press releases and launch insidious campaigns suggesting to our stakeholders that COSON is working against the interest of its members. They are carrying on a whispering campaign telling Nigerian musicians that by upholding their rights and exposing the massive injury being done to them, COSON is endangering their careers. They are even trying to give the impression that by appointing a few Nigerian artistes as their ‘brand ambassadors’, the music industry should kneel down and grovel to them when these companies go home with about 70% of the income from every piece of music they sell while the artistes, the record labels, the VAS companies fight over a mere 30% of the money.  The composers and publishers who create the music do not even get one naira as these companies rob Peter to pay Paul,” he said.

  • Nigerian, South African artistes challenge MTN on copyright

    Nigerian, South African artistes challenge MTN on copyright

    Nigerian Highlife music sensation, Flavour N’abania and his South African colleague, DJ Cleo have requested sales data from MTN, its subsidiary and content aggregator, Content Connect Africa (CCA), and Vodacom, suspecting that their copyright has been infringed upon, sources have said.

    Although the companies have denied any such infringements, pundits reason that their liability could run into billions in unpaid royalties and fines in South Africa alone.

    ‘It is not correct that MTN is liable for billions of rands in royalty payments’ said sales, marketing and distribution executive, Larry Annetts.

    According to City Press, if they can prove copyright violations, the SA Copyright Act provides for a first offence fine of up to R5 000, or a jail term. If it is a repeat offence, the act provides for a fine of up to R10 000 or a jail term, per infringement.

    Copyright expert Graeme Gilfillan, representing DJ Cleo’s company, Will of Steel Productions, and Flavour’s company, 2Nite Enter10ment, began sending out separate requests for data from MTN, Vodacom and CCA since mid-December.

    Annetts however maintained that “MTN is up to date with most royalty payments with Capasso and is in the process of settling the recent royalty invoice…for the current period, which amounts to less than R1million. MTN understands the importance and imperative of paying music royalties for music that it sells on its platforms. With regard to payment of mechanical royalties, we have…been trying to resolve [this] from as far back as 2012.”

    He added that “MTN has been dealing with alleged claims for Will of Steel Productions since 2012…Mr Gilfillan was invited to participate in this process; however, MTN had not received any document or response from him.”

    In the same vein, Vodacom has rejected any suggestion of criminal misconduct. “We have communicated with Mr Gilfillan on this issue on an ongoing basis. Vodacom informed Mr Gilfillan that it reports to CCA…in respect of his clients’ recordings. Mr Gilfillan needs to approach CCA,’ it stated, just as CCA is saying that, ‘Neither Will of Steel nor 2Nite Enter10ment has shown any proof that they each own the songs and publishing underlying the sound recordings.”

    According to CCA’s Antos Stella, “CCA denies that it has infringed the copyright of Will of Steel and 2-Nite-Enter-10-ment’s copyright in any of their songs and publishing. We informed Gilfillan that CCA sends recording royalty statements to his clients and that his clients are in possession of these statements, We informed him that mechanical royalties are reflected on statements sent to his clients… CCA can prove that it receives invoices from Will of Steel and 2Nite Enter10ment for recording royalties and that it pays them.”

  • Court awards N500m to Sunny Ade over copyright

    Court awards N500m to Sunny Ade over copyright

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday awarded N500 million to highlife musician, Sunny Ade, for alleged copyright infringement.

    The musician had sued a record manufacturing company, African Songs and its subsidiary, Take Your Choice Stores, about 30 years ago.

    The court awarded the sum against the defendants for infringing on his works, with additional N3 million for prosecuting the suit.

    The two companies were ordered to pay the sum by Justice James Tsoho, who delivered judgment in the suit first filed by the musician in 1975.

    Sunny Ade had stated in his statement of claim that a contract dispute arose between him and the two companies culminating in a judgement delivered by a Lagos High Court.

    According to him, the court ordered the companies to return the master tapes of the original musical works to him.

    He said before the master tape could be returned, the companies’ Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Chief Bolarinwa Abioro, died.

    Consequently, in a bid to retrieve the master tapes, Ade in 1997 sued the two companies.

     

  • Linda Ikeji: matters arising

    Linda Ikeji: matters arising

    My understanding of plagiarism is when you take someone’s work and republish it verbatim as your own work. I don’t do that. But if I have ever done that in the past then I apologize. It was an oversight. I admit that I have used photos without giving credit. I apologize. That will never happen again. You learn every day. And I have learnt from this.

    The above quotation is by Linda Ikeji, publisher of lindaikeji.blogspot.com responding to the re-opening of her blog by Google.

    I am a fan of Linda Ikeji, Nigeria’s undisputed leading blogger, not necessary her blog, for one particular reason. The young lady has made a huge success of a task many journalists and others have dismissed as idle indulgence.

    While many traditional journalists are still pontificating about who is the real professional or not, Linda and her clan of digital natives have perfected the act of redefining publishing in a new media age.

    I appreciate the concerns about the excesses and violations by many bloggers and online writers but the truth is that information dissemination can never be the same again. Journalists used to be called gatekeepers but there are no more gates for information in newsrooms with mobile phones and social media now available for citizens.

    When the news broke last week about almighty Google shutting down Linda’s blog for alleged plagiarism, the reactions of her critics was that she got what she deserved, having been accused in the past of publishing  unattributed reports from other sources.

    Linda’s apology at the beginning of this piece should suffice for those insist that she is guilty as charged, even when she claims that the shutting down of her has nothing to do will plagiarism but  a breakdown of communication between her and a friend who has been involved in the development of her blog in the past who now felt ignored.

    To be sure, Linda is not the only one guilty of plagiarism of one kind or the other in the country. Virtually every medium including the traditional media have used materials from other sources without proper attribution.

    Violation of copyrights has become so common in the country that someone noted that copyright in Nigeria means to copy rightly.

    Notwithstanding that there are so many culprits doesn’t make it right. It is wrong for anyone to pass on another person’s job as his or hers. Materials from other sources must not only be properly attributed, but necessary permission should be sought.

    I recently wrote a story about the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A Adeboye saying that he was not interested in living up to 100 which was published on The Nation Newspaper website www.staging.thenationonlineng.net.

    Many blogs and websites including Linda’s republished the story with the exact quotes in my story without acknowledging The Nation as their source.

    Publications republishing exclusive reports of another publication without permission, however long it takes to be authorised to do so, are guilty of ‘ reaping from where they did not sow’.

    There is need to begin to name and shame publications indulging in unrestrained plagiarism and copyright violations to encourage more original contents instead of repetition of the same ‘exclusive’ reports across websites and blogs.