COSON Suffers International Losses As Rights Owners Begin To Withdraw

In an unprecedented move and what appears to be a demonstration of wide music industry support for the Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC’s decision to conduct a forensic audit of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) under the leadership of Chief Tony Okoroji, owners of verse majority of earning catalogues for COSON have begun to withdraw their rights from the CMO as relating to international representation.

It would be recalled that for about two years now, some members of the COSON board have demanded for an audit of COSON under the chairmanship of Okoroji by the NCC.

But some months ago, the Music Publishers Association (MPAN), an association made up of owners of interests in copyright catalogues comprised of tens of thousands of both local and international musical works, from the 1960s till date, and the single largest body of copyright owners of Musical works in Nigeria, joined the call – and secured many signatures of several music industry heavyweights in support of the call and for a petition to the NCC.

P.M.EXRESS gathered that recently, the NCC finally yielded to the call and commissioned the reputable multinational accounting firm, Messrs. KPMG to conduct a forensic audit of all collecting societies including COSON.

It was alleged that while all other collecting societies have been reported to be cooperating, only COSON yet to open its book.

Rather than cooperate with the commissioned auditors, it was alleged that Okoroji led COSON to what can be likened to an all-out war with the NCC; including publicly disparaging the NCC.

Amongst those who are withdrawing the rights to international representation from COSON in reaction to its refusal to open its books and submit to the forensic audit are individual and corporate members like Omawumi, Sound Sultan, Baba Dee, 2Baba, Kelly Hansome, Ivory Music, Premier Music Publishing, Laolu Akins, Gospel Choral Music, Junior & Pretty, Sunny Neji, Ruggedman, Zaaki Azaay, S K Sensation and Asha Gangali.

Others include IllBliss, Terry G, Chocolate City, Charlimo, Boniface Itodo, M Trill, Green Light Music Publishing (representing the catalogues of the likes of Del B, Tee Y Mix, Fliptyce, Blaqjerzee, Puffy Tee, Sess, Chopstix, OJB Jezreel, DJ Klem, HOD and Tony Ross), Efe Omorogbe, Storm/Cabal, Hypertek Digital/960 Music, Now Muzik, G & A Publishing and all members of Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN).

It was gathered that more MPAN members will be withdrawing the rights to international representation over the coming days while the likes of Olamide and The Plug (representing Davido and Mayorkun) have terminated their membership all together.