BON bans several artists including
2face, D'banj, Iyanya, because of
COSON
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.
Meanwhile the Performing Musicians Association
of Nigeria interim president has released a
statement on the ban on airplay of Nigerian artists
by BON. The statement below...
PMAN Speaks on the current ban of airplay of
Nigerian artists by BON & IBAN
The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria
is appalled by the recent development
spearheaded by the Broadcasting Organisation of
Nigeria ( BON) and Independent Broadcasters’
Association of Nigeria (IBAN ) via an official press
release yesterday, calling for the immediate
airplay ban on all media platforms on content from
Nigerian artistes, the association which was
created with the sole mission to PROTECT,
PRESERVE, and PROMOTE Nigerian musicianshas
decided to react on the ban and on-going feud
between the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria
(BON), Independent Broadcasters’ Association of
Nigeria (IBAN ) and Copyright Society of Nigeria
(COSON ) calling for an immediate reversal of the
ban in the interest of these artistes whom we
know that all the above mentioned organisations
have their best interests at heart.
The ban on airplay of these Nigerian artistes and
their music on various Nigerian media platforms is
from our standpointvery unfair, demeaning and
discouraging. Weall knowwithout a doubt that
these same artistes who have persevered and
assisted us to build, today what is known as the
Nigerian music industry, Africa’s biggest
entertainment export to the world are the same
people that are now being victimised. With this
action, the association foresees a situation where
this ban will, rather than encourage well meaning
members of the society, with musical talent to
hone their craft and join the success story of the
entertainment industry, reverse will be the case.
We also foresee a situation where the bulk of the
material that will be circulated on nigerian
airwaves will be foreign materials, celebrating
alien artistes instead of embracing, home grown
talent and ourcultural heritage.
COSON in it’s own right by a mandate given to the
organisation acts as a collecting society for these
artistes, helping to monitor and collect royalties
entitled to them. As a collecting society, they have
since inception acted as a shield to these artistes
protecting their intellectual rights. BON& IBAN are
arguing that the tariffs and standards presented to
them by COSON should be defended and
agreeable with them, but we know that the ban is
not the best invitation to the negotiating table.
Article 3.13.2.2 of the Broadcast code issued by
NBC says: ‘For the purpose of free-to-air
broadcast, Nigerian music shall constitute 80 per
cent of all music broadcast’. If this ban is
sustained, and 80% of the music played on the
various media platforms are foreign material, we
should ask ourselves as guardians of the music
industry, if these media houses are paying the
royalties owed to these foreign artistes, and
thereby sidelining Nigerian music by Nigerian
artistes, are we supporting them or failing them?
We should also ask ourselves, ifthis ban which will
invariably affect the rising profile of the Nigerian
music industry in the world, economically and in
relevance is good for us.
With these ongoing conflicts, lets not forget the
owners of this intellectual properties, the music
owners, record label owners, recording artistes,
the instrumentalists, composers, who have spent
time and money producing and packaging, what
we know, enjoy and call music, their interests
should be siginifcant in these agreements.
In light of all that has been mentioned above we
ask again that the ban be reversed and that all the
affected parties and major stakeholders in the
entertainment industry sit down for a dialogue and
reach a favourable agreement, beneficial to
everyone involved.
