Copyright Society of Nigeria, Nigeria’s approved collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings has filed a Ten Billion Naira copyright infringement action against Daar Communications Plc, Nigeria’s biggest privately owned broadcast network which operates stations such as Ray Power FM, Faaji FM and Africa Independent Television (AIT) scattered all over Nigeria.

The suit No. FHC/L/CS/1392/13 filed on October 7, 2013 on behalf of COSON at the Federal High Court, Lagos by crack Intellectual Property lawyer, Mr. Justin Ige, is the biggest known copyright infringement action ever in the African continent.

In the action, COSON is asking for the sum of N724, 500, 000. 00 (Seven Hundred and Twenty Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being amount due as royalties or license fees.

COSON is also asking for general and exemplary damages and a perpetual injunction restraining Ray Power FM, Faaji FM and Africa Independent Television (AIT) managed by Chief Raymond Dokpesi, their agents, privies or servants from further or other unauthorized copying, broadcast of musical works or sound recordings belonging to the members, affiliates and assignors of COSON and/or infringement of the copyright in the musical works or sound recordings belonging to the members, affiliates and assignors of COSON.

The historic action is clearly in fulfilment of the pledge made by COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji in his ‘No Music Day’ speech on September 1, 2013 that in the copyright battle, there will be no sacred cow. Chief Okoroji had said, ‘COSON is determined to substantially increase the royalty distributable to stakeholders in the music industry to match the massive use of music in our nation. Last year, COSON was compelled to institute several law suits against some users of music and sound recordings in Nigeria. This was after every attempt at moral suasion had failed. COSON had to go to court as a last resort. As you know, the court actions were productive. It however appears that old habits die hard. Some of the users may have gone back to their old ways and not all have learnt the lesson that the days of free music are gone in Nigeria forever. Some may also be testing the resolve of COSON.

‘I therefore wish to make it clear that the resolve of COSON to protect the rights of music industry practitioners and to collect copyright royalties for the use of their music and sound recordings is rock solid. We will not waiver and there will be no sacred cows. Our commitment to the cause of defending the rights of music industry practitioners in Nigeria is unshaken and unshakable. Very soon, we will bring the full weight of the law on all those who have refused to learn that the times have changed. Let me assure you that our approach this time will be very different. I wish to state clearly that it is far cheaper to obtain a COSON licence for the music used by anyone than to engage COSON in an expensive law suit which that person is sure to lose because in this day and age, no court of law anywhere will enter a judgment to the effect that anyone can freely abuse the intellectual property of others’

Commenting on the development, COSON General Manager, Mr Chinedu Chukwuji said, ‘I don’t know why people have to wait until things come to a head like this. I guess the belief is that COSON is like some organizations that make noise without acting. At COSON, we are very professional. Our word is our bond. If we tell you that we will take action, we will take action and we will stay on the action till its logical conclusion. We have sworn to defend the rights of musicians and the music industry in Nigeria no matter what it takes. We have the law behind us; we have the musicians of Nigeria behind us; we have the international community behind us and we have God with us. Let it be known that we will not be intimidated by anyone’

FOR COSON:
Chibueze Okereke
Head, Communications, Media and Strategy

http://nigeriannewsportal.com/dokpesis-raypower-ait-slammed-with-n10billion-suit/

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Nice incentive.. I support them


It's high time the rights of music artistes/practitioners are protected in this country.

With this "fight" against illegal rip off by our news agency, music producers like OJB JEZREEL won't be broke after spending many years in the music industry churning out great musics and d*ope beats.


You can't eat your cake and still have it... Using music videos by music practitioners to boost the rating of your network and not paying for the services they rendered. To make good album na beans?.

Ermm Click Like if you didn't read everything

10 billion ke? E mean say you wan make the company fold up naw. Nor be dem nor fit pay debt a few years ago?

another relevance seeking stunt....

haba, wetin dem wan kill Mr. Dokpesi ni

they want to charge raypower for PROMOTING nigerian artistes

i don't think i've heard of music stations paying royalties for playing music - typically artistes give stations promotional copies

Abeg! Dis news 2 long. Its better 2 summarise dis kynd of news.

Is dis man (okoroji) a learner? So u don't know that it was dokpesi that killed the saga of alams being granted amnesty. Your case is a forgotten case already. Dokpesi is a strong PDP man and I leave u to figure d rest.

Good move

How much is the value of the whole Daar Communications?

Austeenx: I'm the freaking comment to first!

So, what happens next? Any award?!

I thought this stuff was cool. Jeez! It's not like my bank account will even be blessed by Seun.

*walks out disappointed*

MUMU!

Dakar communications cannot pay such amount of money,let them settle out of court

yhemster: How much is the value of the whole Daar Communications?

You took the thoughts outta my mind!!!

why is Daar communication always falling into monetary brouhaha ...
I could remember in the 90s, it had to be bailed out of liquidation

And where's d comment?

Ok o

Na so e easy to get 10billion?
Anyway na Naija be dis, nobody dey obey court order.

oguash: Is dis man (okoroji) a learner? So u don't know that it was dokpesi that killed the saga of alams being granted amnesty. Your case is a forgotten case already. Dokpesi is a strong PDP man and I leave u to figure d rest.

Smh...

Typical backward, pathetic and nauseating mentality of myopic nigerians with archaic and warped minds.

Corruption has eaten deep into our bones that we don't believe in justice anymore.. You want musicians to work hard to make good albums and get to make peanuts because of AIT and co ripping them off?. So they shouldn't fight for the right to protect the their means of earning an income?

I don't know if you read the story at all or you're suffering from myopic glaucoma.. I pray someone suppresses you and forcefully/illegally takes the reward of your hardwork. Nonsense!!

they should have ask them to sell daar communications and then hand the money ove to coson

10 what

Na we deh press bræst. NO bdy badder than me i swear.

kunlesehan: haba, wetin dem wan kill Mr. Dokpesi ni

point of correction,shief,the man is a shief

There is no sense in this...best thing is just to sell off Daar Comm and give COSON d money....*yawns*

infoscope: Copyright Society of Nigeria, Nigeria’s approved collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings has filed a Ten Billion Naira copyright infringement action against Daar Communications Plc

In the action, COSON is asking for the sum of N724, 500, 000. 00 (Seven Hundred and Twenty Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being amount due as royalties or license fees.

COSON is also asking for general and exemplary damages

http://nigeriannewsportal.com/dokpesis-raypower-ait-slammed-with-n10billion-suit/

Am I at liberty to assume that the general and examplary damages amount to N9,275,500.00?

See the amount looking like a phone number.

good for them... I hope legal actions are being taken up against other radio and TV stations for same crime unless there is a political undertone to it

oyb: they want to charge raypower for PROMOTING nigerian artistes

i don't think i've heard of music stations paying royalties for playing music - typically artistes give stations promotional copies

certainly not in all cases