COSON moves to fight NCC decision to suspend its license

The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) led by embattled Tony Okoroji has chosen to appeal the decision of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) to suspend its operating license.

Reports say Mr. Uche Val Obi (SAN), who heads the Alliance Law Firm and doubles as counsel representing COSON filed the appeal barely 24-hours after it received a written directive by the NCC suspending its license.

The appeal by COSON urged the Court of Appeal to make suspensory or dispositive mandatory orders against the NCC’s directives, pending the determination of the pending appeal.

Reports say NCC moved to suspend the license of COSON following the approval of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN.

In the letter declaring the suspension of COSON’s license as a Collective Management organization for Music and Sound Recordings, the NCC noted that the move is in line with the provision of Regulation 19 (2) of the Copyright (Collective Management Organizations) Regulation 2007.

The document signed by Mr. Afam Ezekude, director-general, NCC, also noted that the suspension is a follow-up to the continued failure and/or refusals of COSON to carry out the directive of the Commission issued vide its letter dated February 19, 2018.

Read also: BATTLE FOR COSON: 2face manager paraded in court for forgery

According to the letter, COSON is to henceforth desist from negotiating and granting Copyright Licences, collecting Royalties on behalf of Copyright owners, or otherwise performing any functions of a Collective Management Organization, except otherwise directed by the Commission.

In the past two months, there has been a scuffle for the leadership of COSON between founder and chief executive officer of Now Muzik Ltd, Efe Omoregbe with Tony Okoroji.

Trouble started when Omorogbe who is also a Co-Founder and Director of 960 Music Group was announced to have been appointed as the new Chairman of COSON on the 7th of December, 2017.

Reports say Omorogbe was appointed as the new Chairman after thorough deliberations by members of the COSON Board which lasted several hours at the COSON House.

However, drama ensued two weeks later when Tony Okoroji was theatrically installed again to lead the society by members of COSON who said they wanted him to continue his leadership.

Okoroji said the initial move to replace him with Omoregbe was bizarre and a conspiracy.

 

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