Lukman Olabiyi
The Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN) has appealed to the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to lift the suspension which stopped the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) from acting as a Collective Management Organisation (CMO) for musical works.
NCC had, in last May, suspended COSON’s license to act as a CMO for musical works in the country.
However, in a press release issued and signed by both the Chairman and Secretary, Board of Trustees of MPAN, Olumide Mustapha and Isioma Idigbe, respectively on Wednesday, the association appealed to the NCC for an immediate withdrawal of the suspension in the interest of all stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry.
The release read, “MPAN recognises that the NCC’s actions regarding COSON are well intended especially in light of the fact that the NCC under the impressive leadership of Mr. Afam Ezekude has been one of the biggest contributors to the significant positive developments of copyright administration in Nigeria.
“However, we believe that the NCC can achieve its objective – of ensuring rights owners and creators are well represented by their designated CMO – without adversely affecting COSON’s members who are feeling the heat of NCC’s decision to suspend COSON’s license.
“The continued suspension has created uncertainty about the stability of music business in Nigeria, and is ultimately driving away much needed foreign and local investment in the music industry as funding plans literally have to be put on hold pending the resolution of this matter.
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“MPAN thus firmly but respectfully calls for the NCC to not throw away the baby with the bath water and lift the suspension of COSON’s licence without further delay as MPAN, investors and thousands of helpless copyright owners across Nigeria and beyond continue to suffer otherwise”, the press release read.
MPAN, which is an association of owners of interests in copyright catalogues comprised of tens of thousands of musical works, from the 1960s to 2018, locally and internationally, appealed to the NCC for an immediate withdrawal of the suspension in the interest of all stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry.