The full Board of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organization, this Tuesday, August 20, 2024, rose from a meeting at the Boardroom of the magnificent COSON House in Ikeja, celebrating, the continued growth and success of the organization.
The Board observed a minute silence in honour of Ms Onyeka Onwenu, a former member of the COSON Board, who passed on recently. The Board also paid tribute to Mr. Gideon Nwaomu, proprietor of the well-known Giddy’s Place in Asaba, who was once Manager to Onyeka Onwenu and who also just passed on.
The Board applauded COSON members across the country for their steadfast and unflinching support of the COSON leadership in the midst of a recent coordinated propaganda campaign of falsehood and disinformation aimed at casting aspersions on the credibility and decency of COSON with the ultimate objective of tarnishing the COSON brand.
The Board approved the celebration on Sunday, September 1, 2024 of “No Music Day”, the day that the music industry in Nigeria has dedicated annually to bringing the attention of the Nigerian nation to the widespread infringement of the rights of songwriters, composers, performers, music publishers, record labels and other stakeholders in the nation’s creative industry.
The Board also directed that the COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, make a major broadcast at 1.00 p.m. on September 1 on the 2024 “No Music Day” theme, “Unmute the Injustice”.
The COSON Board gave provisional approval for arrangements to begin to hold a bumper edition of the COSON flagship events, the COSON Week, in the second quarter of 2025.
The Board, once again, expressed pride that COSON remains the only organization in the history of the Nigerian creative industry that has subjected itself not only to full financial audit every year since its inception, but has also gone ahead to subject itself to total forensic audit by one of the best- known auditing firms in the world.
The Board reaffirmed the determination of COSON to remain an agent of strength, unity, progress and growth for the music industry in Nigeria, and an institution that will continue to make transparency and accountability the core elements of its operation.
The Board meeting was presided over by COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji. Present were Gospel music minister, Kenny Saint Brown; Ace-drummer and producer, Richard Ayodele Cole; Reggae gospel star, Righteousman Erhabor; Producer and TV host, Nimyel Nansel, better known as Zdon Paporella; Vivacious performer and first daughter of the legendry Ras Kimono, Oge Kimono and well-known Enugu based music toaster and publisher, Sir Angus Power Nwangwu.
Also present were Abuja based music publisher and war horse of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria (CCRN), Chief Uche Emeka Paul, Gospel Music Minister, Evangelist Olusegun Omoyayi; National President of Music Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MUPMAN), Engr Sharon Esco Wilson, COSON General Manager, Mrs Bernice Eriemeghe Ashibuogwu and COSON Deputy General Manager, Mr Vincent Adawaisi.
Afro Juju superstar, Sir Shina Peters and showbiz Impresario, Koffi Idowu Nuel, also known as Koffi Da Guru, joined the Board meeting via Zoom.
