COSON to distribute 2013 copyright royalties

COSON to distribute 2013 copyright
royalties
on december 12, 2013 at 12:15 pm in music
Abuja – The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON)
says it will hold an extra-ordinary general meeting
to approve the distribution of 2013 copyright
royalties for artistes in the music industry.
The General Manager of COSON, Mr Chinedu
Chukwuji, said this in a statement in Abuja on
Wednesday.
The statement was signed by Miss Mayree Uket,
COSON’s Senior Executive, Media.
He said that the meeting would be held at the Eko
FM MultiPurpose Hall, Lateef Jakande Way,
Agidingbi, Lagos.
The GM said that the main purpose of the meeting
would enable members to pass a resolution to
approve this year’s distribution of music copyright
royalties.
Also top on the agenda of the meeting, according to
the statement, are resolutions to tackle the recent
dispute between COSON and the leadership of the
Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and the
Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria
(IBAN).
Chukwuji said that COSON had continued to live up
to its mandate as the sole collecting management
organisation (CMO) for music in Nigeria.
He said that COSON had not failed to give to the
rightful owners in the music industry their deserved
royalties.
According to him, COSON has continued to live up to
its responsibilities to members of the society, in
spite of the challenges encountered, while carrying
out its duties.
“We are committed to our cause and assure all that
as long as music is continually used in different
quarters, members will continue to be paid their
royalties,’’ he said.
Also in the statement, Chief Tony Okoroji, COSON
Chairman, said that the notion that music was not
profitable in Nigeria could not be true.
“I have been told many times that the music can
never pay in Nigeria.
“ But time and time again, COSON continues to
prove to all that the music can pay and is indeed
paying in Nigeria,’’ Okoroji said.
He said that Nigerian music had become a force to
be reckoned with internationally, “so there is no
reason why Nigerian artistes cannot be rewarded
commensurately with the glory they bring to our
nation”.
Okoroji said that the annual distribution of music
royalties by COSON was in line with the society’s
core mandate to license the use of music and to
distribute royalties to members.
He said that COSON distributed N25 million and
N100 million to Nigerian artistes in 2011 and 2012,
respectively. (NAN)