Members of the COSON Board in the meeting held on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 in its Ikeja, Lagos head office
Access Bank Plc was on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 asked to be a good corporate citizen and ensure that all court orders against it are fully obeyed.
Full Board of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), emerged from a meeting held at the Boardroom of COSON House in Ikeja, to make the call, telling the Bank to understand that while it is a defendant in one case today, it would be a plaintiff in another case tomorrow and when it prevails, the bank will expect the other party to respect the judgment of the court.
The Board of Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organisation said that the respect for the rule of law was critical to the stability and progress of every nation.
It will be recalled that
Justice Yellin S. Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, it will be recalled, in a celebrated judgment, recently ordered Access Bank Plc to immediately unfreeze the bank accounts of COSON at the bank and to pay COSON 70 million naira in damages for unlawful freezing of its accounts.
In spite of the order of Justice Bogoro and an earlier decision in 2019 by Justice M.S. Hassan, Access Bank has continued to withhold COSON’s funds which has resulted in the storming of the bank by angry musicians. Written instructions given to the bank by COSON to pay earned specific royalties to several musicians have also been disobeyed by the bank.
The Board pleaded for patience and restraint from musicians across Nigeria who have expressed dismay at the behaviour of Access Bank, assuring them that COSON would continue to engage with the bank to resolve the problem as expeditiously as possible.
The COSON Board thanked the musicians who participated in the street protests against Access Bank and those who have expressed interest in further protests, saying that COSON was aware that there were many musicians who like COSON, are Access Bank customers and that the interest of COSON was not to bring down Access Bank or any other Nigerian institution but to ensure that every Nigerian institution respected the rights of creative people whose rights had been treated with contempt for too long in Nigeria.
The Board reaffirmed the determination of COSON to remain an agent of strength, unity, progress and growth for the music industry in Nigeria and to shield the music industry from scammers and marauders who want to turn collective management of copyright to their personal cash cow and naira gushing ATM.
The COSON Board meeting was presided over by Its Chairman, the celebrated and indefatigable fighter for the rights of creative people in Nigeria and Africa and former President of PMAN, Chief Tony Okoroji.
In attendance were, Afro-Juju top act, Sir Shina Peters; Gospel music minister, Kenny Saint Brown; time drummer and producer, Richard Ayodele Cole, Reggae gospel exponent, Righteousman Erhabor, and showbiz impresario, Koffi Idowu Nuel also known as Koffi Da Guru.
Others were, singer/producer and TV host, Nimyel Nansel, better known as Zdon Paporella gifted performer and first daughter of the legendry Ras Kimono, Oge Kimono, and well-known Enugu-based music artiste and publisher, Sir Angus Power Nwangwu.
Present also, were, Abuja-based music publisher and war horse of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria (CCRN), Chief Uche Emeka Paul, Gospel Music Minister, Evangelist Olusegun Omoyayi, National President of Music Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN), Engr. Sharon Esco Wilson, COSON General Manager, Mrs. Bernice Eriemeghe Ashibuogwu, COSON Deputy General Manager, Mr. Vincent Adawaisi and COSON General Counsel, Barrister Simi Wash-Pam.
