COSON Wins As Case File Returned To Justice Buba, Judgement Set For Tuesday

After weeks of massive protests by members of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) across the country against what the society has termed the meddling of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, in the Nigerian music industry, the case file in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1259/2017, filed by COSON against the AGF and the MCSN syndicate, has finally been returned to Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos for judgment to be delivered.

Justice Buba is now scheduled to deliver the long-awaited judgment on Tuesday, February 13 in Lagos.

Judgment in the suit was initially slated for December 6, 2017 but following dramatic events, the judgment was adjourned till December 14, 2017.

However, the judgment was still not read as the judge announced that the case file had been taken from him and that he had no choice but to adjourn the judgment indefinitely.

While all these were going on, a major attempt was made on December 19, 2017 to unseat Chief Tony Okoroji, the arrowhead of the case and chairman of COSON by some member of the Board.

The COSON General Assembly later met in Lagos and overwhelmingly voted to restore Okoroji to his position as chairman.

Okoroji has since then coordinated the biggest protest in the history of the Nigerian creative industry with angry music industry stakeholders demonstrating at different Federal High Court locations around the country.

COSON has also called for the resignation of the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati, for his alleged role in the matter.

 

Reacting to the return of the case file, a restrained Okoroji said “There is no question that this is a major victory for COSON and the Nigerian creative community. Everyone however knows that our objective is not just judgement but justice. We are not naïve. Everyone must ask why they are so scared of unfettered judgement in this matter.

“After many weeks of arm-twisting, high level manipulation and blackmail, we must be prepared for every outcome. Regardless of what Justice Buba decides, we will not go to sleep. We will not go to sleep until we stop the attempt to turn the Nigerian music industry into a gold mine belonging to no one, from where those who have made no investments nor contributions can cart away illicit billions while the true creators and investors languish in penury. Let the whole world know that we will not rest until the Malami MCSN Mafia (MMM), is finally banished from our industry and peace, stability and progress are restored”