Nigerian musicians react to BON/IBAN ban of music

Members asked not to beg for airplay

An artiste manager, Efe Omorogbe, of Now Musik, on behalf of some Nigerian artistes, has asked the Independent Broadcasters Association, IBAN, and Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, BON, not to play or make use of any song by either foreign or local artiste.

Mr. Omorogbe was reacting to the recent ban on the music of a large number of musicians by BON and IBAN.

After a gathering of stakeholders, including popular artistes 2 Face Idibia, 9ice, MI, Sound Sultan, Dammy Krane, Sir Victor Uwaifo and Ice Prince, at Whitehouse Hotel, GRA, Ikeja on Wednesday, Mr. Omorogbe also presented a seven-point resolution reached by the musicians.

The coalition resolved that music industry practitioners – authors, composers, songwriters, artistes, performers, publishers, record label executives, owners of sound recordings, publicists, and managers – should ignore the IBAN/BON ban and not send an authorisation mail to BON/IBAN to air their intellectual works.

The group also asked all stakeholders in the industry to be available at a briefing and question and answer session on Tuesday, December 10 by 10.00am, at Tuface’s Rumors Night Club, Ikeja.

Below is a full list of the resolutions:

1. That all authors, composers, songwriters, artistes, performers, publishers, record label executives, owners of sound recordings, publicists, managers, etc should ignore the IBAN email and no right owner should send any message to the email provided by IBAN.
2. That no self-respecting right owner of the Nigerian music industry should sell his/her birth right by sending an email to BON or IBAN to request that they play his/her music.
3. That the music industry will consider the stations that comply with their copyright obligations and advice all right owners to move their works to the stations and encourage their fans and followers to support such stations.
4. That a delegation of the music industry is to meet with appropriate political office holders within the shortest possible time on this matter.
5. That all IBAN/BON stations not licensed for the use of music should take note that with immediate effect they should cease to broadcast music whether local or foreign on their stations – These stations must also suspend the use of music whether wholly or in part by way of sampling, interpolation, remixing or outright jacking pending the resolution of this matter.
6. That this movement is a historic fight for the recognition of the fundamental human rights of all creative people in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and no creative person should sell out or allow him/her to be made a saboteur in this historic battle.
7. That all important stakeholders in the music industry should make themselves available for a full briefing and Q/A session at a follow up meeting to be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at Rumors Night Club, 15a, Oduduwa Way, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos by 10.00am.