ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Monday, January 25, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
COSON challenges N5.9bn awarded MCSN for Multichoice copyright infringement

COSON executives at the press briefing

COSON challenges N5.9bn awarded MCSN for Multichoice copyright infringement

byJayne Augoye
February 6, 2018
2 min read
ADVERTISEMENT

Two weeks after a Federal High Court in Lagos awarded N5.9 billion “special damages” against Multichoice Nigeria and in favour of the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria Ltd./GTE, the Copyright Society of Nigeria has kicked against the judgment.

The collective management organisation on Tuesday described the judgment as “bizarre and an attempt to turn the Nigeria music industry into a gold mine, where those who have made no investments nor contributions to the industry can cart away illicit billions of Naira while the true creators and investors in the industry languish in penury.”

Multichoice had dragged MCSN to court in 2011 seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the group from asking or demanding it to obtain copyright license for the broadcast and communication to the public of musical works on the radio and television channels operated and distributed by Multichoice.

According to the company, MCSN was not licensed or approved by the Nigerian Copyright Commission as a collecting society.

The suit had come after MCSN wrote to Multichoice in 2011 demanding N4.1 billion as cumulative copyright and royalties for its body of works used by the latter during the airing of its programmes.

In its counter-claim filed before the judge, MCSN accused Multichoice of copyright infringement on 18 songs in its repertoire, including ‘Konko Below’ and ‘Never Far Away’ by Nigerian masked musician, Bisade Ologunde (popularly known as Lagbaja).

The other songs, which the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria Ltd./GTE accused Multichoice of using without lawful permission included UEFA Cup thematic music and UEFA Championship League thematic music.

Speaking on behalf of the members of the society at a media briefing on Wednesday at COSON House in Ikeja, Tony Okoroji, Chairman of COSON, recalled that at the time the purported infringement took place, MCSN was not an approved collecting society.

Present at the briefing were Maureen Ejezie, Kenny St Best, Sir Shina Peters, John Udegbunam, Richard Cole, reggae legend, Ras Kimono, COSON General Manager, and Chinedu Chukwuji among other members of the society.

RelatedNews

PROFILE: Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Governor, Adamawa State, Nigeria [2019 — ]

PROFILE: Babagana Zulum, Governor, Borno State, Nigeria [2019 –]

PROFILE: Abdullahi Sule, Governor, Nasarawa State, Nigeria [2019 – ]

Farmers/Herders Clash: Southwest governors to meet Miyetti Allah leaders

“MCSN was facing seven pending criminal cases at the Federal High Court and which the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami ordered the Nigerian Copyright Commission to approve in 2017, despite the protest of the NCC,” Mr. Okoroji stated.

According to him, works alleged to have been infringed upon are in the repertoire controlled by COSON for which Multichoice Nigeria has obtained a legitimate license.

Mr. Okoroji added that COSON had received reactions from some of its international affiliates wondering what was going on in Nigeria as some of the works for which MCSN was said to have received the award belong to COSON affiliates who at no time assigned the works to MCSN.

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Gospel artist, Kenny St Best, also noted, “If a single Nigerian company providing employment to many Nigerian citizens can be said to liable up to the whopping sum of N6 billion for copyright infringement in the broadcast of 18 songs, then it would require the entire national budget of Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt to pay for the entire Multichoice content.

Speaking further, COSON called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call Mr. Abubakar Malami to order.

Calling for the resignation of the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati, COSON also urged the Federal Executive Council to direct the immediate return of the Nigerian Copyright Commission to the supervision of the Minister charged with responsibility for culture as expressly provided in Section 51 of the Nigerian Copyright Act.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...


JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (0)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Senate urges Nigerian govt to ban advertisement, sales of tobacco near schools

Next Post

U.S. warns on growing nuclear arsenals of China, Russia, North Korea

Jayne Augoye

Jayne Augoye

Jayne Augoye is an assistant editor and covers the entertainment and lifestyle beat for PREMIUM TIMES. She has a master's degree in Media and Communication from the Pan Atlantic University. Twitter: @jaynejones

More News

Wizkid

INTERVIEW: I just found myself- Wizkid speaks on latest album, fatherhood

January 24, 2021
Jonas Gwangwa [PHOTO: TW @ewnreporter]

South African jazz ‘giant’ Jonas Gwangwa dies aged 83

January 24, 2021
Top song artist

#PTMusic’s top 38 songs of 2020 (Full List)

January 1, 2021
Ayinla Omowura's lead drummer, Adewole Onilu-Ola, dies at 97

Ayinla Omowura’s lead drummer, Adewole Onilu-Ola, dies at 97

December 30, 2020
Davido again makes it into 2019 AFRIMA nominee list

Davido threatens to quit music after purported fight with Burna Boy

December 28, 2020
Ayinla Omowura and Ayinde Barrister.

MUSIC: Ayinla Omowura and Ayinde Barrister Controversy: Two sides of greatness

December 28, 2020
Next Post
S-400 surface-to-air missiles

U.S. warns on growing nuclear arsenals of China, Russia, North Korea

Shehu Sani

Senator raises alarm over 'ignored' killings in Kaduna villages

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


NITDA Ad




Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,605,741 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert

Zenith Advert

Heritage Advert
ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.