By Charles Okogene
The Mahmood Ali-Balogun led Audio visual Right Society (AVRS) members this morning took over all available spaces in the entrance and parking lot of Isaac John Ikeja GRA based Raddison Blu Hotel demanding the payment of their over N50m worth of copyright infringment.
The protesting actors at Raddison Blu, Ikeja
The movie stars who were accompanied by journalists had arrived the hotel as early as 8am and took over vantage positions preventing both workers and customers of the hotel from going in or coming out. They blocked the main entrance of the hotel with one of their coaster buses, mounted a very big Speaker were music was blarring while they kept gyrating vigorous to the attention of passer byes and motorists.
Speaking with journalists before he was ushered in to have a talk with the management of the hotel, Mr. Ali-Balogun said that the picketing was their last option following the hide and seek tactics of the hotel and its lawyers.
He disclosed further that the hotel, which charges N90,000 for a room per night has practically refused to pay the Association N90 it charges the hotel for the use of its members’ film in its room to entertain its guests.
He said that by their calculation, the hotel which has so many branches in Lagos State, was indebted to AVRS to the tune of N50million.
Just then he was invited upstairs to have discussion with the managers of the hotel and on his return, he announced that the chairman of the hotel, whose identity he did not disclosed, has promised to look into the matter with a view to sorting it out in an enlarged meeting with the members of AVRS and board of the hotel at a later date and appealed to the actors who were extremely peaceful in their protest to call it a day.
Others who spoke at the even were Fred Amata, Sunny Macdon, Ejike Asiegbu among others.
My concerns… Did the hold subscribed to the Guild for provision of Audio-visual materials like films and home videos directly or they subscribe to multi choice by owning a Decoder ?
Public or Private – who gets the royalty ? If most contents were paid on exclusive showcase or exhibitions?
How did the HOTEL get it wrong?
EVERY ORGANIZATION ENJOYING OR MAKING MONEY FROM THE PRODUCCTS OF NOLLYWOOD, NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY,.. MULTI-CHOICE AND HOTELS SHOULD BE COMPELLED BY LAW TO PAY ROYALTIES TO TO AVRS. IT’S HIGH TIME ACTORS STOPPED DIEING POOR WHILE PEOPLE WHO HASN’T BEEN TO SHOOTING LOCATIONS BEFORE ARE SWIMMING IN MILLIONS..