PROJECT LET THE MUSIC PAY, IS PAYING
The week just gone by came with lots of topical headlines that even sworn columnists will be bemused as to which to settle for. The stories came in such a torrent that suggests they were in a race to clinch the editorial garland. Not only as subjects for newspapers' editorials but as souls for columnists' space as well.
The hot stories kept pouring in. While we were yet to digest the cavalier suggestion of the CBN governor, Lamido Sanusi, for the federal government to sack 50 per cent of its workforce, there was the disclosure by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, that arrested Boko Haram suspects can't be tried until the anti-terrorism bill is passed.
It didn't cease at that, there was the lamentation of the EFCC boss, Ibrahim Larmode over the slashing of his commission's 2013 budget proposal from N21 billion to N9 billion just as we saw the ranking of Nigeria as the 35th most corrupt country in the world. We also heard of the profligate plan of the presidency to spend N2.2 billion on the construction of a banquet hall and witnessed two illustrious Nigerians make it to the list of the highly rated 100 global thinkers. The list is long.
Each of these stories qualify to be accorded a newspaper's editorial space but one was omitted as many public affairs commentators passed for commenting on it. It wasn't because this spared one isn't weighty nor topical enough. It was side-lined apparently because many a columnist felt the other stories are more article-worthy. But don't sweat it as they are entitled to their judgement.
Albeit this one subject has been sentenced to the back-burner by others, I wouldn't treat it as such given its benefits to our socio-economic well-being. You may be wondering what am set to talk about. It's the disclosure by the Copyright Society of Nigeria(COSON) that N100 million will be distributed to Nigerian musicians this December.
According to reports, the Collective Management Organisation of COSON will on December 11, 2012 hold its Extra-ordinary General Meeting. This meeting will see members passing a resolution to approve the distribution of the said sum as copyright royalties to members.
The amount will be shared amongst members registered with the society as at May 19, 2012 as money gathered from unpaid copyright royalties for the music and sound recordings used in hotels and similar establishments across the country.
Who could have believed this would happen in Nigeria? Pessimists must have concluded that those in charge of COSON will embezzle whatever is to be got as royalties. Sorry to disappoint the doubting Thomases, this is not the first time COSON will be threading this path.
About same time last year, COSON distributed over N25 million naira to its members across the country at the National Theatre, Lagos. It was then reported that hundreds of Nigerian musicians benefited from this gesture. For COSON to have done this and is still promising to replicate same on a higher level, we just have to grant them the benefit of the doubt.
It is heartening that COSON was able to grow the royalty money from N25 million in the previous year to the current N100 million. This smacks of an agency poised to deliver the goods. Although the rise is astronomical enough, it can still get higher. This is because not all who should remit royalties are so doing!
Just as royalties are collected for musicals played in hotels and restaurants, so should it be collected for musicals and music videos played over the air by the broadcast media. They should actually pay more! It is an irony that in this clime, artists pay money to radio and television stations to have their work aired. The reverse should be the case, which betrays the need for an establishment like COSON to facilitate the collection of artists' due. Results would be better achieved this way than for individual artists to go about it on their own.
Advertising agencies, Nollywood producers, DJs and the likes who use musical contents by Nigerian artists in plying their trade should be made to remit certain amount to COSON. For it is when all who commercially use Nigerian music are demanded to pay that COSON can conveniently grow the royalties to be shared among artists substantially.
I guess the COSON chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji is already thinking in this direction, hence his submission, "I have great faith that if we continue on the path that we are following, in a few years, COSON will be distributing a billion naira a year and more to music industry stakeholders."
COSON with its slogan as "let the music pay" is really living up to this slogan. It has transformed it from a mere rhetoric to a reality that can be seen by all. This is highly commendable. As such, we as Nigerians should encourage them in any way possible to ensure the music pays big time.
Artists who are yet to take advantage of this are rather shooting themselves in the foot. COSON collects royalties for all musical productions and shares the proceeds with artists whose names are in their register. It is thus impolitic for any performing musician not to be a member.
Project COSON is a lofty initiative given the vagaries associated with the music industry. An artist who is the toast of the moment can have his or her moment vanish in a flash. This can to a great extent tell on the financial standing of such an artist. It is in situations as this that COSON comes handy to help keep the artist afloat.
One fact we must all understand is that letting the music pay translates to letting the music play. Artists will be highly induced to render good music for us to play when their efforts have the potentials of paying. Further, letting the music pay attracts well talented acts who will let the music play.
COSON was established in 2010 to be in charge of the nation's musical works and sound recordings. It has given us a reason to identify with it as reiterated by Chief Okoroji, "COSON is without doubt a Nigerian success story." Well-meaning Nigerians must then not fail to appreciate and support this project that is paying.
Written By Ugochukwu Ugwuanyi