I will never let you down, Okoroji tells COSON members

Chief Tony Okoroji has vowed never to let any member of Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, down or turn his back on them.

Okoroji, made this solemn promise at the society's Annual General Meeting, AGM, which recently held in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Okoroji thanked the members for their unflinching support, promising, however, that “I will never let you down or turn my back on you.”

According to him, COSON train would continue to move despite the obstacles placed on its way.

Speaking further, he added, “On December 19, 2017, you gave me the greatest honour anyone can ask for. With tears in my eyes, I promised that I will never let you down or turn my back on you. I will never.”

“Across Africa, COSON is regarded as one of the most professional and transparent collective management organizations. “Believe me, outside the country, your society is a source of pride to the Nigerian nation. As a result of the incredible strides we have made at COSON it is difficult sometimes to appreciate that COSON has only been in existence for about eight years. With all humility, I boldly say to you that COSON has done what many said was impossible in our nation. COSON is a child of struggle. Nothing we have got has come easy. Let no one forget that our struggle to be approved was herculean,” Okoroji said.

Okoroji revealed that “Ten days from today, precisely on May 20, 2018, it will be the 8th anniversary of the historic approval of COSON as Nigeria’s sole collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings. That event began our nation’s true participation in the world of collective management of copyright, paving the way for the many success stories we have had in the last eight years.”

However, at the event, members of the society urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission, NCC, Mr. Afam Ezekude, positing that the creative industry has totally lost confidence in his leadership.

The members also ratified the reinstatement of Okoroji as Chairman of the Management Board by the General Assembly at its Extra-Ordinary General Meeting, which held on December 19, 2017.

Recall that on December 7, 2017, six Board members of the society met and consequently moved a motion to remove Chief Tony Okoroji as the chairman of the society. He was replaced by an artiste and events manager, Efe Omorogbe. This move, however, generated a lot of mixed-feelings among the members, leading to the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of the society held in COSON Arena on December 19, 2017. At the meeting, Okoroji was restored as Chairman of the society, days after he was asked to step aside by the organization’s board.