COSON'S NO MUSIC DAY

The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has called on stakeholders in the music industry and the general public, to observe the NO MUSIC DAY on Thursday, September 1, 2016 with the theme “The Monetization of Musical Content in the Digital Space”.

This year, Broadcast stations have been asked once again not to broadcast music between the hours of 8am to 10am on September 1 2016, and instead to dedicate the 'time belt to the broadcast of interviews, documentaries, debates and discussions that focus on the rights of creative people and the potential contributions of creative activities to the national economy.'  Also, Newspapers and magazines have also been asked to publish special features on these issues in the days to come. Meanwhile, the general public have been urged to tune in to different domestic radio and television stations on NO MUSIC DAY to engage top COSON members, Intellectual Property lawyers, investors in the music industry and other music industry experts who will be going to several broadcast stations in the country to speak on this year's theme

The history of the NO MUSIC DAY can be traced to a week-long protest by Nigerian artistes in 2009, borne out of the frustration caused by 'the devastating level of intellectual property theft in Nigeria'. The NO MUSIC DAY was subsequently held on September 1, 2009, and involved practitioners in the Nigerian music industry requesting 400 licensed broadcast stations to desist from broadcasting for a 'significant period of the day'. The event has continued to be marked by the organisation to raise awareness of the issue of piracy and to call for a change to enable the full enjoyment of the economic benefit of intellectual property and eventually improve the nation's economy.

 

According to COSON chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji,

“Every year, in marking ‘No Music Day’, our objective has been to engage the Nigerian people and the various governments on the potential contributions of Nigerian music to the socio-economic development of the Nigerian nation and the necessity to fully deploy the substantial comparative advantage which our nation possesses in this area so as to provide hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs to the teeming masses of Nigerian youth who parade the streets of our country with little hope. I have no doubt that if the right environment is created in Nigeria, the enormous creative energy exhibited by our young people will be released to the amazement of the world”.  

He further emphasised the need to remind the Nigerian government of the subsisting problem for which the 2009 protest was held and also of the need to ensure the socio-economic progress of the nation in this time of uncertainty and decline in the nation's oil revenue.

This is a great initiative to educate the public on the issues of protection and monetisation of intellectual property. Hopefully, its aim will be achieved soon and there will be improvements made by the relevant agencies in the enforcement of law, protection of the interests of right owners, and contributions to the advancement of the music industry.