RAY POWER & AIT IN DEEP WATERS AS NIGERIAN MUSICIANS SUE FOR 10 BILLION NAIRA

 NIGERIAN MUSICIANS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF COSON HAVE FILLED A  N10 BILLION NAIRA SUIT AGAINST DOKPESI’S RAY POWER & AIT  IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS AFRICA’S BIGGEST COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT ACTION 

 Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s government approved collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings, who collects royalties on behalf of Nigerian musicians, has filed a Ten Billion naira copyright infringement action against Daar Communications Plc, Nigeria’s biggest privately owned broadcast network which operates stations such as Ray Power FM, Faaji FM and Africa Independent Television (AIT) scattered all over Nigeria. The suit No. FHC/L/CS/1392/13 filed on October 7, 2013 on behalf of COSON at the Federal High Court, Lagos by crack Intellectual Property lawyer, Mr. Justin Ige, is the biggest known copyright infringement action ever in the African continent.

In the action, COSON on behalf of Nigerian musicians is asking for the sum of N724, 500, 000. 00 (Seven Hundred and Twenty Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) being amount due as royalties or license fees.

COSON is also asking for general and exemplary damages and a perpetual injunction restraining Ray Power FM, Faaji FM and Africa Independent Television (AIT) managed by Chief Raymond Dokpesi, their agents, privies or servants from further or other unauthorized copying, broadcast of musical works or sound recordings belonging to the members, affiliates and assignors of COSON and/or infringement of the copyright in the musical works or sound recordings belonging to the members, affiliates and assignors of COSON.

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WHAT A PRESIDENTIAL CHAT: WHAT IS GEJ UP TO!!!

Over last weekend innocent lives to be précised of 40 students of Taraba state college of Agriculture were taken in their dormitory while sleeping by the suspected gun men of Boko Haram sect

Yet during his excellency media chat; the commander in chief of the federal republic of Nigeria-president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on the 29^th of September 2013, when asked about the major problem of terrorism in Nigeria by the Boko Haram sect, especially about the death of the head of the sect-Abubakar Shakaul which  became questionable when Abubakar Shakaul allegedly said he was actually behind the ‘Tuesday Bombing; that he is not dead, even after the videos of him being killed by some police went viral. On this our dear President responded thus ‘’ I don’t know who is Abubakar Shakaul, haven’t seen him, don’t even know if he is the leader of the set, whether or not he is dead.’’ He further said that ‘’during the emergence of the Militants, a group of terrorists from the Niger- Delta, they were objective, when called upon to know what they really wanted; they never hesitated to come out, agreed to negotiate with the Government and eventually reached a compromise but it is the opposite in the case of Boko Haram sect, they haven’t shown their faces, neither have they agreed to come bring to the Government’s table what they actually wanted, even when an Amnesty committee  was set up by the Federal Government to look into Boko Haram, yet there have not been any feedback regarding who they really are, what they want or how to proffer solution’’

To be honest, this response is not satisfactory. What are you telling me……? If it has got to a point where the President is seemingly evasive about the whole chat on the media…..

Anyways, whilst listening right back on my sit, I was thinking………, he seems like a good man, maybe... let’s give him a break, he might be really compassionate and is doing what he thinks is the best for the country.

Maybe he is the right person trying to lay a different and the right foundation so as to do away with the wrong and corrupt ones, as you know it is not easy to build an entirely new foundation. This is evident on the number of Cabinet Reshufflings within last month where a good number of Ministers parted  also on the media where  he said ‘’a thief is a thief, in my tenure, I’ve made sure that the government money is not open for anyone to steal, not to talk of getting away with the act, the agricultural sector where a lot of fund has gone down the drain in the name of fertilizer had been critically looked into, some huge amount of money for the purchase of fertilizer were being squandered a particular clique In the Government. The fertilizer don’t eventually get to the farmer as planned, even if it does, it is to a minute set of farmers who unfortunately get sands packed to the half of their fertilizer bags. This we have taken care of which is not very easy on us.’’

Hope rising, he made the/our day by saying ‘’power is being taken care of, maybe in my next media chat, power won’t be a problem in Nigeria anymore.’’

Imagine; many businesses that will be revived, so many young entrepreneurs that will emerge because the cost for the purchase of Generator set and fueling/dieseling won’t be anyone’s Migraine anymore; the explosive number of terrorists and armed robbers reduced because artisans now have a very important tool of constant power to render good services.

'THE NIGERIA OF MY DREAM' By Victoria E.

My life is the synthesis of the happenings around me as a citizen of this country. The elders say that ''whatever does not kill one only makes one stronger''. It is not out of place for a young woman of my age to dream. Indeed i want to dream but the irregular supply of power makes it impossible for me to sleep for any considerable length of time. Erratic power supply has ensured the death of several business investments and reduced attraction for investments by high powered industries. Those who dare to do business are paying the price at too much of a premium. That makes basic service industries to be expensive and unreliable.

On the 1st october 1960, Nigeria, under the leadership of president Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe with the help of other visionaries got her independence. Apparently, what we had with the government then was just a fluke; we are free but slaves to some greedy and selfish leaders.

Violence is now seen as a gainful enterprise as terrorism is regarded as the feasible platform for Nigerian political opponents to get back at themselves. These are part of the major reasons a good number of Nigerian women are afraid to show interest in the politics.

Still, i forge ahead and have the courage to dream, even in the small snatches of sleep i manage to get. in my dream, behold; a land in Niger area with hills in the east, forests in the west, grasses in the north and rivers in the south, a land with enormous human and natural resources, my fatherland; Nigeria; a country where all the Nigerian women have a voice; A Nigeria where prostitution is no longer fashionable in government, higher institutions and the corporate world. Ultimately, in my dream, the government completely resolves the issues of strike and ensures proper regulation of funds allocated to its higher institutions and universities. I dream of a country where the police and other security agencies secure the citizens and not their pockets; A Nigeria where religious leaders do not make merchandise of their God, but lead by good examples and preach the gospel at all cost; a nation where the youth build businesses and the artisans master the craft of their artistry in other to provide not crappy but premium sevices; A nation where moral uprightness and transparency are the guiding principles of every citizen; a nation where the judiciary, police and all public servants despise corruption in every form and fashion; a country enjoying constant supply of power; a beautiful place, where the resources and wealth are evenly distributed, such that only a thin gap distinguishes the poor from the rich; A one Nigeria where there is peace and tranquility irrespective of our sociocultural, religious and ethnic leaning; where political parties are formed, based on the zeal to serve the fatherland, such that the government of the people will indeed be for the people and by the people.

VICTORIA . E

This dream is achievable if i accept to play my own part, just as the next man towards developing Nigeria. This is 'the Nigeria of my dream'.