Nigeria’s biggest and most successful copyright collective management organization, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) lawyer, Mr. James Ononiwu, has condemned the recent attack by the leadership of Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN), of the ongoing distribution of N50 million by the organisation to musicians across the country who are traumatized by the Coronavirus lockdown.
The renowned lawyer described the attack as “wicked, despicable and evidence of incurable bad belle”
Mr. Ononiwu wondered how any musician or anyone who claims to love musicians can find fault with the responsible and responsive action taken by the leadership of COSON to alleviate the suffering of their members across the country at a time of their greatest need.
He said; “The unquestionably positive reactions of hundreds of musicians and thousands of other Nigerians to the brilliant step taken by the COSON Board can be found on every social media platform and practically every newspaper in the land. Many musicians in every state of Nigeria are happy and openly praying for the leadership of COSON.”
“Why is that disturbing the sleep of these funny people at MCSN? Did COSON distribute MCSN money? This is not the first or second or third royalty distribution by COSON, an organization that has distributed hundreds of millions of naira to its members and commissioned the sparkling and magnificent COSON House while MCSN has little or nothing to show except never ending bad belle. Can’t the people at MCSN see that this is no time for their degenerate brand of politics? What is the business of a CMO if not to collect and distribute royalties?”
“This is a defining moment in the affairs of man. Across the world, true leaders are being seen for who they are and retrogrades are also being seen. COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, has once again displayed the attributes of a first-class leader that has made him a Nigerian icon.”
“His understanding of the situation, his humanness, decisiveness and the detailed and transparent execution of the relief distribution will certainly go down in the history of the Nigerian creative industry and the nation.”
“Meanwhile, the leaders of MCSN who were sleeping while Nigerians have been going through a harrowing experience, suddenly woke up from their slumber and kick started their usual grumbling and quarreling and finger pointing and rabble rousing while people are in deep pain.”
“Can’t they see that this is no time for such nonsense? Don’t these guys know when to shut up? Don’t they have any milk of human kindness in them at all? I know that thousands of musicians across Nigeria have received their royalties while some have not. I wish to assure every COSON member who is yet to receive his relief royalty that MCSN cannot stop the distribution and that their money is on the way”
“I have seen the litany of cases mentioned in the ill-advised press statement issued by the leadership of MCSN and their jaundiced and self-serving reasoning and claims. I am a lawyer and I know that in Nigeria, we do not try cases on social media platforms or blogs. If these guys who have shown no modicum of empathy for the suffering of the musicians they claim to represent, truly believe that COSON has done something wrong, let them meet us in court. I and other COSON lawyers will be waiting for them.”