COSON, MTN Meet To Resolve N16bn Copyright Law Suit

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

Top officials of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the nation’s sole approved copyright collective management organisation for musical works and sound recordings and those of telecommunications giant, MTN met in Lagos on Tuesday, 20 December to explore the possibility of an out of court resolution of the N16 Billion copyright infringement law suit brought by COSON against MTN.

At the meeting which took place at the Lagos Court of Arbitration in Lekki, COSON was represented by its Chairman Chief Tony Okoroji; General Manager, Mr. Chinedu Chukwuji and external legal counsel, Mr. Justin Ige of Creative Legal. Representing MTN was a legal team made up of two in-house lawyers, Mr. Kuforiji Olanrewaju and Ms. Taiye Salami. MTN was also represented by Mr. John Onyido and Ms. Yetunde Okojie from the Lagos law firm of SPA Ajibade & Co.

The lead mediator is Prof Bankole Sodipo, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Babcock University, Ogun State and immediate past president of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN). Prof Sodipo. who is also a Principal Partner in the firm of G.O. Sodipo & Co, was assisted by Mr. Femi Fajolu.

Commenting after the meeting, Okoroji said that the meeting agreed that it was in the best interest of both parties, the music industry in the country and the Nigerian economy if the issues are resolved without delay.

According to the COSON Chairman, “the meeting agreed on a framework for a possible settlement of the matter and a time frame for different actions to be taken.

“The meeting also agreed that all the parties and organizations associated with them should cease all adversarial actions henceforth to ensure that there is a conducive environment for the resolution of all the matters. I am reasonably satisfied with the progress made so far. When we are done, every creative person and every investor in the Nigerian music industry will benefit immensely from the engagement”.