There is a war presently brewing between the Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, and the 42 Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, stations in Nigeria.
COSON has approached a Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the broadcast outfit owned by the Federal Government to stop further broadcast of music and sound recordings belonging to its members, affiliates or assignors until the full payment of all music copyright royalties due to it.
In the 33 paragraph statement of claim filed on May 5, 2016, on behalf of COSON by Lagos Intellectual property lawyer, Justin Ige of Creative Legal, the body narrated the unending and unsuccessful efforts made by its officers to collect from FRCN music copyright royalties due to its thousands of members and members of the 135 international collective management organizations represented by COSON in Nigeria.
It said in its court processes in Suit No FHC/L/CS/603/2016 that the behaviour of the likes of FRCN has led to massive loss of jobs to the Nigerian nation, significant loss of revenue to the country and heavy capital flight from Nigeria as most of the world’s best known international music companies have divested from Nigeria and the domestic investors are leaving the industry in droves because of the intolerable amount of copyright infringement encouraged by the likes of FRCN.
According to the COSON legal papers, the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari has identified the entertainment industry as one of the key areas to be promoted by the government to provide good paying jobs for young people in Nigeria, to reduce crime and insurgency and boost the nation’s economy but the activities of the likes of FRCN are set to torpedo the very good intentions of the government.
Also in the court documents, COSON expressed the concern that if the courts do not intervene, individual right owners in musical works and sound recordings may in frustration be forced to take precipitate actions to protect their rights and this may lead to breakdown in law and order.
Among the 42 FRCN radio stations listed in the suit are Kapital FM 92.9 MHz, Abuja; Metro FM 97.7 MHz, Ikoyi; Bond FM 92.9 MHz, Ikeja; Radio One FM 103.5 MHz, Ikoyi; Heartland FM-100.5 MHz, Owerri; Premier FM-93.5 MHz, Ibadan; Positive FM-102.5 MHz, Akure; Gold FM-95.5 MHz, Ilesha; Amuludun FM-96.3 MHz, Ibadan; Paramount FM-94.5 MHz, Abeokuta; Treasure FM 98.5 MHz, Port Harcourt; Progress FM 100.5 MHz, Ado –Ekiti; Supreme FM-96.1 MHz, Kaduna; Pyramid FM-103.5 MHz, Kano; Coal City FM-92.8 MHz, Enugu; Unity FM-101.5 MHz, Abakaliki; Pacesetter FM-103.5 MHz, Umuahia and Purity FM-102.5 MHz, Awka.
