Entertainment
Battle Royal As COSON’s Crisis Deepens
That all is not well with the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) is stating the obvious as things have fallen apart in the entertainment society following accusations of deceit, high handed, manipulations and incompetence against the leadership of the body, led by Chief Tony Okoroji on one side and Efe Omorogbe on the other side.
In 2010, the Copyright Society of Nigeria was born with the aim of negotiating, granting copyright licences and collecting royalties, distributing same to copy- right owners and curbing the bitting case of piracy that has plagued the Nigerian music industry. Prior to its set up, there were multiple music bodies including the Nigeria Copyright Council, Music Collective Society of Nigeria (MCSN) and the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PIMAN) who had promised to represent the interest of creators (musicians).
Their failure to deliver on these promises led to the call for a singular body/Collective Management Organisation (CMO), as a result. The following organisations, WASPAN, MCSN and COSON joined to become the sole body that represents Nigerian musicians, but COSON backed with the support of other national associations, including PMAN won the battle and was fully licensed to collect royaltics and other rights on behalf of Nigerian artistes.
Almost eight years since operations kicked off, one cannot make a boast of COSON’s stability as it has been faced with unending crisis and more recently is the seeming power tussle between different factions within the body. It all came to the knowledge of the public on December 7th 2017 when COSON announced after an emergency board meeting that Okoroji had been rid of his position as COSON chairman.
Following a vote of confidence conducted by 10 active members of COSON management board, including Okoroji the vote which was conducted at the COSON House at Ikeja had stakeholders and representatives of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) responsible for regulating the activities of COSON in attendance, Okoroji was said to have lost to fellow board member and renowned talent Manager, Efe Omorogbe, who was immediately declared chairman of COSON.
Brief introduction of the prime parties involved in the crisis:
Chief Tony Okoroji: Tony Okoroji is an author and retired musician whose musical works reigned supreme in the ‘70s and ‘80s. At 29, Okoroji was elected National President of PMAN. Thereby making him the youngest president in the association’s history. The award winning entertainment stakeholder is the CEO of Tops limited, a Lagos based entertainment and events consultancy film.
Efe Omorogbe: Also a very respected executive in Nigeria entertainment, he is a co-founder of music publishing company, 5ive music group, founder and CEO music management and record company, now music limited, co-founder and director of 960 music group and longtime manager of Nigeria Pop Icon 2 Face Idibia.
On December 19, nearly a forthnight after Omorogbe took over the leadership of COSON, things took a different turn after Sir Victor Uwaifo, Head of the Organisation’s General Assembly announced the reinstatement of Tony Okoroji condemning the previously conducted change of chairmanship procedure as conspirational, the management board was also reconstituted and six members who were in support of Tony Okoroji’s removal including Efe Omorogbe were taken off COSON management board.
Omorogbe saw the action as ridiculous and unconstitutional explaining that board of directors are elected by members of COSON and as such it is impossible to dissolve/inaugurate a new board without the knowledge and participation of the members. He staged his purported comeback and reinstatement, created a lot of drama and claimed he had been reinstated by the General Assembly members who did not elect him as chairman in the first place.
According to him, you elect directors and directors choose a chairman, but in their desperation, they didn’t put all of these into account. He said the board’s decision to sack Okoroji stems from excessive cases of unethical practices and improper procedures for approval of funds releases.
Omorogbe had earlier in the year released a lengthy 9-point statement that accused Okoroji of gross abuse of power, alleging that Okoroji paid himself the sum of N22, 500,000 (twenty two million, five hundred thousand naira) through his company, Tops Limited.
He alleged that the amount was from MTN’s settlement payment for royalties without the approval and signature of both the Finance Committee Chairman, Mr Joel Ajayi and other board members which contradicts COSON’s rule that all payments above N2,000,000 (two million naira) must be approved by the board. Okoroji was also accused of misappropriating a quoted sum of N26,200,000 (twenty six million two hundred naira) as incurred by his company, Tops Ltd in the execution of the COSON’s week.
A series of events which contractually are allowed to hold on the condition that Production Company can independently generate the funding, as a collective management organisation, matters are discussed internally by members of the board before implementation, but the embattled Chairman, Tony Okoroji according to Omorogbe continues to unapologetically take actions without consulting the directorial board thus leading to cases of misrepresentation.
“He run the society like his personal hustle, it was difficult for Okoroji to separate himself from COSON as he sees COSON and himself as one” Omorogbe said. He further alleged that Okoroji has been orchestrating manipulative and deceitful devices presenting the well deserved benefits of right owners as an act of benevolence in a bid to buy over their loyalty.
He stressed that the movies are collected to be distributed, if you are a member that is what is due, you either based on general distribution or specific distribution and no single person has the power to determine whether you get stuff or you don’t get stuff, he stated.
The Garden City of Rivers State Port Harcourt at the weekend joined other parts of the world to celebrate the World Music Day, 2025, as Alliance Française showcases talents.
The event which is internationally known as Fête de la musique was held at cultural hall of the Alliance Française was a remarkable concert with memorable experience.
The event brought together music lovers, students, Artistes and members of the community For an exciting evening live performances and cultural exchange.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the world Music Day, which was created 1982 in France by the then Minister of culture, Jack Lang, ‘ Fête de la Musique’ is now celebrated in more than 100 countries every 21st June, marking the first day of summer with free concerts and musical showcases in public spaces.
In Port Harcourt, the Alliance Française honoured the tradition by spotlighting four(4) emerging artistes offering a platform to young talents shaping the city’s contemporary scene.
The audience enjoyed an unforgettable moments as they were entertained by the powerful performances from Preach A, who is known for blending fitness culture with spoken words and rhythm.
Also, artiste Emmayany delivering a vibrant fusion of afrobeat and afro pop. A singer, song writer and a performing artiste with a distinct sound.
Others were Amarachy Uko, a sensational singer with passion for soul , R&B, pop music and afrobeat.
While DJ Prospel closed the night with an energetic DJ set that got the entire hall dancing.
Earlier, the Director, Alliance Française, Port Harcourt Mrs Marina Lacal high lighted the mission of the Alliance Française saying that the event was more than a concert.
According to her, the event was put together by the Alliance Française to promote cultural diversity and foster artistic expression by connecting a long standing French tradition with creativity of the local music scene, adding that the event offerers an avenue for dialogue between culture and generations.
She stated that the event is used to promote professional and bring amateur artistes to limelight via the platform of the Alliance Française which is aimed at promoting the French Language through cultural heritage.
She explained that the celebration is also a broader series of Fête de la musique activities organized by the 10 Alliance Française across Nigeria in sync with concerts held in France and around the world simultaneously.
She further noted that the occasion reaffirms the role of Alliance Française as a cultural bridge, one where French heritage meets the pulses of Nigerian youth.
It would be recalled that no fewer than 19 artistes applied to perform at the event in Port Harcourt, but only four got approval for appearance.
The Governor of the Performing Musicians Employer’s Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Rivers State chapter, Comrade Moses Mabadeje popularly known as Mozy B said that the body has announced plans to implement performance Levy on artistes in the state with effect from 21st June.
This was carried in a statement released to The Tide Entertainment, yesterday by the Deputy Governor of the association, Comrade Abiye Howells.
According to the Governor, the announcement was made by PMAN, the only governing body that regulates the music profession in Nigeria, as authorized by the Government of Nigeria, in line with the Trade Union Act.
He stated that those affected by the Levy include (Non members)bands, groups, Hotels, Bars, lounges, Event Centres, show organizers, promoters and other stakeholders hosting events which feature live music performances within the State.
However, the Levy does not apply to members of the Performing Musicians Employer’s Association of Nigeria. (PMAN).
Comrade Moses Mabadeje, explained that this drive is aimed at financing the association and supporting the welfare and interest of musicians as outlined in Article 8 of the PMAN constitution as amended (2023). Consequently, a PMAN task force has been set up to enforce and swing into action to effect this move.
He further said that event organizers, promoters and owners of event centers are expected to comply with this regulation as the Governor has urged stakeholders to collaborate with the association to ensure the successful implementation of the levy and the peaceful co-existence between PMAN and Stockholders.
Nancy Briggs
Entertainment
“French Up Your Career” PH, 2025 :Consul General Of France Harps On Proficiency In French
The Consul, General of France in Nigeria, Laurent Favier has encouraged French Learners to improve their skills on the language, as there are lots of opportunities up for grabs on the job market with fluency in French Language, saying that there are many other career paths which are often less well known to learners of French.
Participants at the “French Up Your Career” event held in Port Harcourt.
Favier who disclosed this during the just concluded third edition of the seminar tagged “French Up Your Career” organized by Alliance
Française, Port Harcourt explained that learning French doesn’t mean adding a language to your resume. It rather provides learners with new opportunities. Irrespective of their area of interest, be it diplomatic and International relations, international development, translation and Interpretation or journalism.
According to the Consul General, it was important to create awareness for young Nigerians in Port Harcourt who desire to have better understanding of how been fluent in French can create diverse career opportunities for users of the languages in Nigeria and the world at large, emphasizing that proficiency in French could possibly make learner a bridge between Nigeria and fast-developing regions.
“You previously heard this morning about how you can improve your French skills. This afternoon you will discover how being fluent in French can provide a significant edge on the job market and lead to professional careers that you may not have even considered before,”
“This event comes at the right time, as it launches the celebration of the richness and diversity of French-speaking cultures, which will mobilize us for more than a month throughout Nigeria and alongside other French-speaking countries,” Favier added.
He further highlighted that French is spoken by over 300 million people across the world, saying that, it’s one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union.
“There are many neighbouring African countries to Nigeria ,who have French as one of their primary languages of communication including Cameroon, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So, what does this mean for you as students here in Nigeria?” He asked
“These sectors in which the French Embassy is often mobilized are the business and marketing field for example, as French is often the preferred language in many multinational companies, particularly those in the energy, oil and telecommunications sectors. I’m thinking as well in technology and IT,” he said
He noted that French-speaking countries in Africa are investing heavily in tech, innovation, and infrastructure, revealing that companies in Tech are looking for bilingual professionals to assist with software localization, customer support, and managing projects in French-speaking regions.
“The French embassy is not only mobilized to help learners discover promising sectors. We are also providing our support and expertise in
training teachers and optimizing university programs,” he summed up
Also, the linguistics cooperation attaché, French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange, who also gave a lecture at the seminar, in an interview with Newsmen said that the main purpose of the seminar was to be more informative and supportive to those who want to make a skill out of French Language,saying that as the linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy it is her duty to promote French language through culture.
She cited traditional stereotypes as a major challenge affecting the growth and development of French in Nigeria, as school, teachers at the primary and secondary level in most cases teach French using the traditional way, where students learn French, but could not put words and grammar together as a skill for communicate.
“French is important. I don’t see French as colonization, l see French as a key to embrace globalization, l hope that learners will be inspired and ready to embrace the global village,” Losange said.
She however said that the French Embassy is working to ensure that equipments to facilitate the learning of French is put in place to enable learners improve their skills fast, which in two to three years learners should be able to communicate with French, advising learners to be intentional with learning the language, through social media and other workable devices to advance their skills for certification and better opportunities.
Highlight of the event which had about 250 participants in attendance was the eloquence award ceremony where students were awarded for their eloquence in French language by the Director, Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs.Marina Lacal alongside the Linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange.
After two edition of the seminar it was the turn of the Alliance Française, Port Harcourt to host the Third edition.
It would be recalled that the first edition of ” “French Up Your Career” event was organized at the Alliance Française Lagos on October 23, the second one at UNILAG on November 24, 2024 respectfully.