Top Nigerian artistes and practitioners, including 2Baba and Omawumi have decided to withdraw their music catalogues and rights to international representation from the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON). This is according to a statement signed by Omawumi and Olumide Mustapha on behalf of the Music Publishers Association (MPAN).
The statement made available to eelive.ng also indicted that Olamide and The Plug (representing Davido and Mayorkun) have terminated their membership altogether; while many other members are expected to follow the Omawumi and 2Baba example over the coming days.
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COSON is currently under the oversight scrutiny of the Nigerian Copyright Commission for operating in spite of the expiration of its license even in the midst of allegations of mismanagement by a section of its membership.
The estranged members had sought the intervention of the regulatory NCC in the institution of a forensic audit of the Collective Management Organisation (CMO).
Omawumi and 2Baba had last year called out COSON for fraud and this action further shows absolute disenchantment with the society.
Veteran singer, Sunny Neji, Sound Sultan, Baba Dee, Kelly Hansome, Ivory Music, Premier Music Publishing, all-time front line producer, Laolu Akins, Gospel Choral Music, Junior & Pretty, Ruggedman, Zaaki Azaay, S K Sensation, and Asha Gangali have also indicated the end of their relationship with the CMO
Other practitioners include Ill Bliss, Terry G, Chocolate City, Charlimo, Boniface Itodo, M Trill, Green Light Music Publishing representing the catalogues of the likes of Del B, Tee Y Mix, Fliptyce, Blaqjerzee, Puffy Tee, Sess, Chopstix, OJB Jezreel, DJ Klem, HOD and Tony Ross.
Efe Omorogbe, Storm/Cabal, Hypertek Digital/960 Music, Now Muzik; G & A Publishing and all members of Music Publishers Association of Nigeria (MPAN) have also decided to withdraw their copyrights and have severed ties to COSON.
COSON Audit
About two years, former members on the COSON board had called for the NCC to audit COSON under Chief Okoroji. A few months ago, the Music Publishers Association (MPAN), the single largest body of copyright owners of musical works in Nigeria, joined the call.
MPAN secured the signatures of many industry heavyweights in support of the call and petitioned to the NCC.
Just recently, the NCC finally commissioned multinational accounting firm, Messrs. KPMG to conduct a forensic audit of all collecting societies including COSON. All collecting societies except COSON have been reportedly cooperating.
Concerning COSON’s refusal to submit to the audit, Mr. Joel Ajayi, one of the first supporters of the audit, who led COSON’s finance committee for several years; said “I don’t know what has become of COSON. Why is COSON under Okoroji resisting the audit?”
“Yes, we called for the audit because we strongly suspected that certain things were wrong; especially since COSON surprisingly put aside the finance committee. Maybe because we were asking questions; but this is too much”
He proceeded to call COSON’s refusal to be accountable shameful.
