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Copyright commission goes all out against piracy
(The PUNCH, Friday, M) |
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By Steve Ayorinde
With the launching of the Strategic Action Against Piracy in Lagos on Tuesday by President Olusegun Obasanjo, it has become clear that the seriousness of the new-look Nigerian Copyright Commission against piracy is not in doubt.
STRAP is the new campaign of the NCC, designed by its Director-General, Mr. Adebambo Adewopo, to curb the unwholesome tide of piracy in all creative endeavours.
It is such a serious issue that at the Sheraton hotel, Lagos, where the launching held, nearly all stakeholders present, representing all sectors of creative rights industry, had words of support for STRAP.
“The greatest hindrance to creativity is piracy,” said Adewopo; and the strategy, he explained, would be to get all copyright owners, users and the public to come together to fight the menace.
Three components through which STRAP would work, he stated, were Mass Enlightenment, Enforcement and Administration.
At the launching, it did seem like the commission had everything it needed to succeed. One, President Obasanjo, who was represented by the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Chief Emeka Chikelu, did not only throw his weight behind the initiative, but also linked piracy with his current anti-corruption campaign.
“Nigeria cannot afford to be made a piracy haven. We must be relentless and innovative in our commitment and resolve to bring about a drastic reduction in the level of piracy,” the President said.
He also ordered the formation of an Intellectual Property Commission “in the shortest possible time,” as a single agency that will administer copyright, trade marks, patents, designs and allied subjects.
The Honourable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice R.N. Ukeje, who was the chairperson of the occasion, also highlighted the role and support that the Federal High Court, being the court with exclusive first instance jurisdiction in copyright matters, would accord the new campaign.
STRAP, she said, had the core principle of providing an open platform for all right owners and stakeholders to combat the piracy of their copyright-protected works and to empower local copyright industries and attract foreign investment.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ambassador Franklin Ogbuewu, and President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, Mr. Charles Oputa, also declared their support for STRAP as the needed collective platform through which piracy would be dealt with.
However, noting that how well the nutty issue of collective administration of copyright in Nigeria is handle will determine the progress of the creative and entertainment sectors, Adewopo exclusively told our correspondent that the commission had resolved to address the issue once and for all.
Speaking specifically on the lingering face-off between the Performing and Mechanical Rights Society and the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria, he said, “After a critical appraisal, based on our evaluation and consultation, we now have three clear options.”
The first option, he said, would be for both the PMRS and MCSN to be challenged to find a workable arrangement either by way of merger or integration. The second option, he said, would be to withdraw the licence given to PMRS 10 years ago, “in order to create a level playing ground;” or, as the last option, to approve MCSN, “because we cannot deny a section of rights owner their right to exist.”
Adewopo said one of the options would be implemented unfailingly this month to move the music sector forward.
“It’s for them to know, that this is what we will explore as the regulatory agency. They can no longer hold anybody to ransom,”
If implemented, Adewopo’s move would be the first bold attempt to resolve the seemingly intractable face-off between the two societies. For 10 years, both have engaged in court cases and media campaigns to push their positions.
While PMRS claims it ought to operate freely as a collecting society by virtue of its licence; MCSN, which is older and has larger membership and affiliations to all other international collecting societies, claims that it was wrongly denied a licence to operate 10 years ago, and that its continued existence and relevance both at home and abroad show the sincerity of its claims.
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