Stakeholders discuss digital music licensing

For music, a lot of action is going on online.
From the negative end, it has more or less,
become the graveyard of many artistes as the
piracy perpetuated through the Internet is
unimaginable. But, while stakeholders
continue to find answers to the challenge,
many of them are also aware that online and
digital channels offer opportunities to market
music globally.
Between the Youtube and itune, for instance,
even other more general platforms like
Facebook and Twitter, probably millions of
musical notes or transactions take place
daily, especially in climes where the social
media first took root. It is the realisation of
the these factors that prompted several
major players in the Nigerian music industry
to come together on Monday, to explore
structured ways they too can explore to get
the best from the platforms.
The event was the First Nigerian Digital Music
Licensing Summit held at Protea Hotel, Ikeja,
Lagos. Organised under the auspices of the
Nigerian Music Industry Coalition, it was
coordinated by the Copyright Society of
Nigeria, which is steadily becoming a
catalyst for change in the sector. While the
COSON team was led by its Chairman, Chief
Tony Okoroji, some notable intellectual
property lawyers were also present to
provide legal perspectives to the discussion.
Among them were the Managing Partner,
Stillwaters Law Firm, Mr. Afam Nwokedi;
Managing Partner, Chief G. O. Sodipo & Co,
Mr. Femi Faloju; Managing Partner, Abraham
& Co, Mr. Mena Ajakpovi and Ms.
Olufimilola Banjo of Olajide Oyewole & Co.
But it was primarily the business of artistes
and heads of key music labels and music
publishing companies, whose representatives
presented some of the issues involved.
Among were Mr. Audu Maikori of
Chocolatecity Group; Mr. Efe Omorogbe of
Nowmuzik and Mr. Toju Ejueyitchie of
Premier Records and Premier Music
Publishing.
Also present were representatives of major
telephone networks and value-added service
providers and aggregators such as the Head
of VAS, Airtel, Mr. Victor Bannerman; Head
of VAS, GLO, Mr. Godwin Oriazowanlan; and
Managing Director, Greenbee
Communications,  Mr. Nnamdi Agwunobi.
Some of the issues discussed bordered on
who owns the rights involved, the right
organisations to do digital business with and
how to monitor what goes on globally.
Among other points, the summit reached a
resolve to urgently align the music industry
in Nigeria with developments in other parts
of the world in the digital space.

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