NBC boss, Emeka Mba intervenes in COSON/BON face off

NBC DG, Emeka Mba

Director-General, Nigerian Broadcast Commission (NBC), Prince Emeka Mba has announced that his commission will without delay intervene in the on- going dispute between Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) and some broadcasting organizations under the platform of Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (IBAN) over payment of royalties for broadcast music.

Prince Mba was speaking in reaction to a statement issued by BON/IBAN that the music of a large number of Nigeria’s topmost artistes have been banned from being broadcast on stations run by the members of BON and IBAN with immediate effect.

There was considerable outrage at Protea Hotel, Ikeja on Tuesday, December 4 at the ANCOP-FIAPF Film Forum organized by Association of Nollywood Core Producers (ANCOP) and International Federation of Film Producers Associationswhen the development became public. Many of the participants who spoke reacting to news with terms such as ‘unprecedented’ and ‘unheard of’ ‘ill wind’, etc. The participants thereafter asked for the immediate reaction of the NBC boss to the development.

Prince Mba explained that every broadcast station in Nigeria was bound by the music quota provided in the broadcast code. According to him, from the long list of Nigerian artistes said to be affected by the purported ban by BON and IBAN, he did not see how the stations could meet their local content obligations and that such a situation was of serious concern to the NBC.  He restated that a joint effort will be made by the NBC and the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to resolve the issues. Article 3.13.2.2 of the Broadcast code issued by NBC says ‘For the purpose of free-to-air broadcast, Nigerian music shall constitute 80 per cent of all music broadcast’.

The BON/IBAN press release was read to the participants made up mostly of motion picture industry practitioners and copyright experts by Chairman Copyright Society of Nigeria, Chief Tony Okoroji. Opening by saying, ‘Nigeria has just made history’, Chief Okoroji said that the development was the first in human history that all the top artistes of any nation are said to be banned from the airwaves of their nation. He insisted that if the sad action was to blackmail COSON for taking some broadcast stations who believe that they are above the law to court for copyright infringement, he was willing to lay down his life in the defence of the rights of creative people in Nigeria.

There was a consensus among the several speakers that the entire Nigerian creative industry must rise against the decision of BON and IBAN and that the creative industry must prepare itself for a major battle because if the music industry was the immediate victim, the day the movie industry would be targeted is not far.  

Reacting to the development, the NCC Zonal Manager in Lagos, Mr. Chris Nkwocha who was representing the DG, said that COSON is the nation’s sole approved Collecting Society for music and anyone who broadcasts music is obligated under the law to pay copyright fees for such broadcast. He also said that where there is a dispute on the amount of money to be paid as copyright royalties, any of the broadcast station unhappy with what is being demanded of them has the right to apply to the NCC to set up a panel to review the fees under the Copyright (Collective Management Organisation) Regulations 2007. He therefore called on the broadcast stations to take advantage of the provision of the regulations and quickly resolve the matter.

The long list of COSON members said by BON and IBAN to have been banned with immediate effect include TuFace Idibia, D’ Banj, Inyanya, Olamide, Dr Sid, Sammie Okposo, Banky W, Wiz Kid, Olu Maintain, 9ice, Sunny Neji, Flavour, Chidinma, Rugged Man, Keffee, Midnite Crew, Eldee De Don, M I, Azeezat, Jazzman Olofin, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, KC Presh, X Project, Asha, Konga, African China, Owen Gee, Dekunle Fuji, Lord of Ajasa, Zoolezoo, Ekwe Original Stereoman, Danfo Drivers, Rhymzo, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Kofi, Jedee, Muma Gee, AY. Com, ID Cabassa, Klever J, ZidonPoperella, Eva, Terry G, Nomoreloss, Mike Okri, Weird MC, Mode 9, Timaya, Sound Sultan, Waje, Mo’Cheddah, Jay Martins, Slam, Djinee, Solid Star, Omawunmi, TWO, W4, OmotolaJeladeEkehinde, YinkaAyefele, DJ Stramborella, Ebenezer Obey, Victor Uwaifo, Onyeka Onwenu, Dan Maraya Jos, Tony Okoroji, Stella Monye, Floxxy Bee, Funmi Adams, MajekFashek, Daniel Wilson, Alex Zitto, Sir Shina Peters, Ras Kimono, Wale Thompson, KollingtonAyinla, AdewaleAyuba, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, , Chris Ajilo, Emmanuel Ntia, Orlando Julius, Eddy Remedy, Mr. Kool, 2 Shotz, Baba Dee, Bouqui, Rooftop MCs, Kenny Saint Brown, Klever J, OJB Jezreel, Danny Young, Dipp, Frank D’ Nnero, Ojo, Tim Godfrey, etc.