Energy Expert Advocates Strong Laws On Intellectual Property

 CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

Against the backdrop of the recent allegation by the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, PMAN over intellectual property against the Minister of Information, an Energy expert, Prince Timothy Okedele has urged the Federal Government to enact strong laws that will protect intellectual property in Nigeria.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Okedele who is also the Managing Director CEO OF Prince Adesoke Int’l Ventures noted that by enacting such laws, it will make individuals to have confidence and develop the creative industry for the good of the society.

Prince Okedele who is retired Customs Officer, explained that he is a strong advocate for the laws on intellectual property because he was once a victim and was helpless because there were no enabling laws that could protect him.
Okedele noted with regrets how the management of Bank of Industry (BOI) and the SMEDAN had thrown away and wasted great ideas he projected to them which would have revolutionized the energy and Agro- sectors of the Nigerian economy.

He pointed that in the year 2011, September 26, he had proposed a partnership with BOI on access to renewable energy program of UBDP/BOI a partnership concept the BOI ‘adulterated and it failed because they were not the originator of the creative idea and so they did not manage it well.
Okedele further claimed that BOI used his idea to secure grants for 11 Nigerian companies for  $30,000 each but he, who brought the idea was sidelined. This claim was yet to be confirmed or refuted by BOI.

“The structural financing program died at pilot level because they lacked the knowledge of the vision, mission and strategic plans of the original donor of the idea.”Okedele noted.

He said that developed economies like South-Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Australia, USA, etc. adopted such strong laws for technology development.

Okedele narrated that it was not the first time he had been shortchanged in his creative idea as his efforts to partner with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), for the Federal government to establish agro processing plant of FENCO Food Engineering of Italy in the six geo-political zone of the nation was frustrated.

He said his efforts would have opened up small scale industries in Nigeria and created jobs for the youths but due to official laxity it did not work out and the opportunity of mass production of fruits in Nigeria was wasted.

Okedele who is also the propagator of South-Korea and Vietnam government sponsored Environment and Energy event in Nigeria said he had tried his best to partner with the government to solve power problems but regretted that the leadership did not listen to him after many proposals.

He advised Nigerians leaders, civil servants to borrow a leaf from the present Minister of Power who heeded his advise to conduct a comprehensive audit of the nation’s energy sector which was yielding result now.

He regretted and threatened to take his technological ideas to other countries since the Nigeria leadership did not want to tap from his rich ideas to develop the country.