Yesterday, Barrister Simi Wash Pam, the General Counsel and Head of Legal Department of Copyright Society of Nigeria, COSON, in a statement informed the general public that a case COSON instituted against Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), in respect of its existence, in the face of the law, is still pending in the court; that the case has “not been tried, struck out, nor dismissed” and that there is no way that “COSON can be said to be operating unlawfully without the issues (in the case), being determined. Indeed, in a ruling by the Court striking out an application by MCSN to be joined in the suit filed by COSON, the court described MCSN as ‘a restless interloper and a vexatious intervener’.
COSON lawyer, Sim Wash Pam
COSON suit against NCC has not been tried, struck out nor dismissed
The statement then wondered why and how the media spaced is filled with stories that the Society is operating illegally saying that “there is no way that COSON can be said to be operating unlawfully without the issues being determined…”
However, today, the leader of members of COSON that is calling for a forensic probe of the society since it was founded over a decade ago, Mr. Efe Omorogbe, who is also the manager of 2baba of African Queen fame, has fired back. He has come out with a copy of a statement showing that the case referred to by Wash Pam has been decided. That judgement in that case was delivered last week. Below is the statement as sent to newdawn by Mr. Omorogbe.
“The ruling of December 1, 2021 on Suit No. FHC/L/CS/425/2020, COSON vs NCC by the Honourable Justice Liman against COSON’s attempt to restrain the commission “from taking any step to revoke its Operating Licence/Approval or disturbing or preventing them from enforcing their rights including interfering with their internal management, operations and funds” is a victory for hundreds of concerned rights holders.
COSON suit against NCC has not been tried, struck out nor dismissed
The desperate attempt by the illegitimate board and complicit management of COSON to dodge accountability was doomed to fail from the beginning.
ncc
We had hoped for a quicker resolution of the crisis to arrest the descent of the once vibrant CMO into a rogue organisation, one insistent on operating outside the ambit of regulatory authority but it is, however, better late than never.
This ruling is vindication for all concerned directors, members and stakeholders who have remained resolute in the demand for accountability during the course of the four long years it has taken for us to get here.
Those who have sort to exploit the slow pace of the judicial system, compromised law enforcement officers, media apologists and the ignorant and subservient mob of “ghost” right holders to shield themselves from accountability must realise that the game is up.
Now that the court has established that COSON does not have a valid operating licence, we reiterate our call for users to desist from engaging with COSON or paying licensing fees to it.
The demand for an independent audit into the account and operations of COSON under the chairmanship of Tony Okoroji continues. The probe must be done and anyone indicted must face the full wrath of the law. Hundreds of millions of naira collected on behalf of genuine rights holders must be accounted for. The Nigeria Copyright Commission owes the rights holders the sacred duty of government protection. Anything short of firm and comprehensive action would be setting a dangerous precedence and completely eroding the authority and relevance of the commission.
– Efe Omorogbe for:
Concerned stakeholders.,”
